The Ego--The physical plane--The mental plane--The new plane of
consciousness--The Real Self--The "I"--The Temple of the Living
Spirit--Development of the "I Am" consciousness--The Higher Reason.
"Lord of a thousand worlds am I,
And I reign since time began;
And Night and Day in cyclic sway,
Shall pass while their deeds I scan.
Yet time shall cease, ere I find release,
FOR I AM THE SOUL OF MAN."
--Charles H. Orr.
Many of us are accustomed to thinking of ourselves on the physical
plane alone. When we think of the Ego--the "I" of ourselves, we
picture it as a human body with organs ranging from the finest--the
brain, down to those of coarser atomic structure. To one living on
this plane of consciousness the body is the _real_ self, and the
Mind but an appendage to the body. Such a man speaks of "my mind" or
"my soul," as he speaks of "my hat," "my coat," "my shoes"--as things
belonging to him, which he uses, but which are not _him_. To him
the Body is the real man--the Mind something useful to the body--the
Spirit a nebulous hypothetical something of which he has but a hazy
idea and no consciousness. He lives on the physical plane alone.
Others picture their "I" as Intellect or Mind, having control of the
body and its organs, and having its abode in the brain, or brains, of
the human being. To these people the Intellect is the Real Self, in
fact to many of this class the Intellect is elevated to the position
of God, and they bow down to and worship it. They realize the
subjection of the body to the Mind, and are aware of the wonderful
power of the latter over the particular body under its control; the
bodies of others; the minds of others. To them the Intellect is the
highest self, identical with the Spirit. They are conscious of the
wonderful workings of the mind, but are conscious of nothing higher.
To some of them death seems to end all, their idea of mind being that
it is a product of the brain. Others feel that somehow, somewhere,
their Intellect will maintain its existence, but it is merely a
_belief_ or hope, based upon the words of others who have claimed
authority to speak. They have no consciousness of pre-existence or
future existence--no perception of that REAL SELF which _knows_
itself to be Eternal.
A third class have so far progressed along the Path of Life that they
have crossed the borders of a new plane of consciousness. They are in
a strange land--they see no familiar landmarks--they do not recognize
the country that lies before them. Their friends, whom they have left
just a few feet behind across the border, do not seem to realize the
difference the short distance has made to those who have traveled it,
and therefore doubt the prospect seen from the new point of view.
Those who have crossed the border find that they have acquired a
_consciousness_ of a real Existence. The "I" consciousness has
passed beyond the Intellectual plane and is able to look back to
that plane and the one still further back, the Physical plane. "I"
recognizes the value of both Mind and Body, but regards them both as
but instruments, tools or servants, with which to work. "I" feels that
it has existed from the beginning (if beginning there was) and will
exist until the end (if end there be). "I" feels a keen pleasure in
mere existence--in the NOW. "I" knows itself to be a part of the WHOLE
THING--knows that the UNIVERSE is its home. "I" knows itself to be a
tiny drop of Spirit from the Great Spirit Ocean; a ray from the
Supreme Sun; a particle of the Divine Being, encased in a material
body, using that body and a force called Mind, with which to manifest
itself. "I" does not at present _understand_ all things--far from
it. It has not as yet been able to bring its tools to that degree of
perfection. It merely _knows_ that it IS, and has ALWAYS BEEN, and
ALWAYS WILL BE. "I" allows Intellect to indulge in speculations, but
contents itself with the knowledge that it IS--it frets not itself
with the problems of the past or future, but lives in the NOW, and
knows itself to be a part of the WHOLE. "I" knows that it cannot be
destroyed or injured--that it exists in accordance with Law (and that
Law is Good) and asks no further light at this time, knowing that in
its progress through matter, discarding sheath after sheath, more
_knowing_ will surely come. It says trustfully and confidently, to
the Absolute: "Thy Will be Done."
Knowing itself to be immortal, "I" has no fear of the death of the
body--one body is as good as another to it--it is willing to lay aside
the body as it does a coat, when it has outworn or outgrown it.
Knowing itself to be impregnable to harm, "I" has no Fearthought--it
fears nothing. Knowing that the Law is working for development (always
for ultimate good) "I" is not disturbed by the cares, troubles and
sorrows of Life--it knows them for what they are. The body may be
in pain, the mind may be burdened with sorrow, but "I," _knowing_,
smiles.
"I" knows itself to be One with the "I" of all living creatures, and
knowing this cannot manifest Hate, Fear, Envy, Jealousy--it cannot
Despise or Condemn. These and other feelings of the old life drop from
the person like a discarded mantle when "I" mounts its throne. "I"
recognizes that others may not have progressed so far on the path as
itself, but knows them to be but fellow travelers on the same road,
who are doing the best they know how, considering their stage of the
journey. "I" recognizes Ignorance--not Evil. "I" has but one feeling
toward Mankind and the whole living world--LOVE. Aye, Love and
Comradeship for even the _last man_, for it knows that that last
man cannot be left out of the great scheme of Life.
"I" knows that it has traveled a long road leading to its present
position, and that all Life is traveling the same. "I" looks back and
sees others covered with the mire and dust of the road, far back
on the Path, but knowing that it has traveled the same stage of
the journey--been covered with the same mire and mud--it cannot
condemn. "I" knows that it is but on the threshold of the new
consciousness--the borderland of the Cosmic Knowing--and that far
beyond lie regions of marvelous beauty which will in turn be traveled,
and then on and on, increasing in strength and knowing-power each day.
"I" sees endless phases of existence opening up to the vision--it
cannot at this time _understand_, but it knows of the existence
of the Law, and is content. "I" has the courage of Intelligent Faith,
and presses forward cheerfully to the Divine Adventure. All this--and
more.
To the man or woman who understands, the task of self-development
becomes a labor of love--an exalted task rather than the mere selfish
striving after power. As the sculptor saw in the block of marble the
form of the angel, and was impelled to cut away the surrounding
material in order to liberate the angelic form--so may we, seeing the
God-like form within us, strive to liberate it. That inner form is the
real self--the "I." If you have never realized this truth, relax body
and mind and indulge in a little introspection; turn your gaze inward;
listen to the voice of the Spirit. You will be conscious of a faint
recognition of the Something Within striving to make itself manifest
to your understanding--asking for the proper tools with which to work.
Listen, listen in The Silence! Day by day the Voice will grow
plainer--day by day the Light will grow brighter--your own is coming
to you, at last. O, joy unspeakable! O tears! O laughter! After long
ages you are coming in sight of the Promised Land.
Know yourself O Man! Know that you have within you the Divine Spark,
to which both body and mind are but servants. Know that your body is
the Temple of the Living Spirit and respect it as such. Know that your
Intellect is but the instrument of the manifestation of the
Spirit--the "I."
Do not crawl on your belly like a worm; do not humble yourself in the
dust and call upon heaven to witness what a despicable creature you
are; do not call yourself a miserable sinner worthy only of eternal
damnation. No! a thousand times No! Rise to your feet; raise your
head; face the skies; throw back your shoulders; fill your lungs with
Nature's ozone. Then say to yourself: "I AM."
Man has acquired a wonderful power when he can _understandingly_
say: "I AM a part of the Eternal Life Principle; I AM created in the
Divine Image; I AM filled with the Divine Breath of Life; Nothing can
hurt ME, for I AM ETERNAL."
The first requisite for the acquirement of an understanding of the Law
is the recognition of the existence and the power of the Real
Self--the "I." The more complete the recognition the greater the
power. Special directions for the acquirement of this faculty of
recognition cannot be given. It must be grown into and felt, rather
than reasoned out by the Intellect. You will not be long in doubt as
to whether or not you are on the right track; if you are right you
will begin to realize it at once. You will have glimpses of it, and
then it may slip away from you for a while, but fear not, you cannot
escape it in the end.
You will feel that your body is but as a garment which whilst covering
you temporarily is not YOU. You will feel that you are separate and
apart from your body, although for a time living in it. You will feel
that you could as well live in some other body, and still retain your
sense of individuality. You will realize then even your mind is not
You, but is merely the instrument through which You manifest yourself,
and which being imperfect prevents the complete expression of the
Spirit. In short, when you say, or think, "I AM," you are conscious
of the existence of your _real_ self, and feel the growth of a new
sense of power within you. This recognition of the self may be faint,
but encourage it and it will grow, and whilst growing will manifest
itself to your mind by impressing upon the latter the knowledge of the
proper plan for further development. It is another example of "to him
that hath shall be given."
This mere calling of their attention to the fact will awaken the first
glimmer of recognition in some; others will find it necessary to
reflect upon the idea and awaken to a recognition of the Truth more
slowly. Some will not _feel_ the Truth. To such I say: The time is
not yet ripe for your recognition of this great Truth, but the seed
is planted and the plant will appear in time. This may seem like the
veriest nonsense to you now, but the time will come when you will
admit its literal correctness. You will find that a desire has been
created that will cause a mental unrest until more light is received.
As Walt Whitman says: "My words will itch in your ears till you
understand them." As Emerson says: "You cannot escape from your good."
To those who feel the first indications of the awakening of the
Spirit, I say: Carry the thought with you and it will unfold like the
lotus, naturally and gradually; the truth once recognized cannot be
lost, and there is no standing still in nature.
What has been said is but a faint hint of a mighty Truth, which
nestles in the bosom of the esoteric teachings of all religions--in
the philosophies of the Orient and of ancient Greece. You will find it
in the songs of the poets--in the writings of the mystics. The
advanced science of this age touches it without recognizing it fully.
It is not a thing that can well be conveyed by words--it is not easily
comprehended by purely intellectual processes--it must be _felt_
and lived out by those who are ready for it--those for whom the time
has come. It has been known to the Few throughout all ages and in all
times. All races have known it. It has been handed down from teacher
to pupil from the earliest days. It is that Truth which Edward
Carpenter refers to when he says:
"O, let not the flame die out! Cherished age after age in its dark
caverns, in its holy temples cherished. Fed by pure ministers of
love--let not the flame die out."
It is difficult to convey even a hint of this Truth to any but those
who are prepared to receive it. To others it will seem to be arrant
folly. As Emerson says: "Every man's words, who speaks from that life,
must sound vain to those who do not dwell in the same thought on their
own part. I dare not speak for it. My words do not carry its august
sense; they fall short and cold. Only itself can inspire whom it will
* * * * Yet I desire even by profane words, if sacred I may not use,
to indicate the heaven of this deity, and to report what hints I have
collected of the transcendent simplicity and energy of the Highest
Law."
If you prefer to try to solve the Problem of Life--the Riddle of the
Universe--by scientific investigation, by exact reasoning, formal
thought, mathematical demonstration--by all means follow this method.
You will be taught the lesson of the power and the limitations of
the human intellect. And after you have traveled round and round
the circle of thought and find that you are but covering the same
ground over and over again--after you have run into the intellectual
_cul de sac_, the blind alley of Logic--after you have beaten your
wings against the cage of the Unknowable and fall exhausted and
bruised--after you have done all these things and have learned your
lesson--then listen to the voice within, see the tiny flame which
burns steadily and cannot be extinguished, feel the pressure of
the Something Within _and let it unfold_. You will then begin to
understand that as the mind of Man developed by slow stages from mere
sensation to simple consciousness; from simple consciousness to
self-consciousness (in its lower and higher degrees) so is there a
consciousness, higher than we have heretofore imagined, in store for
Man, which is even now beginning to manifest itself. You may then
understand that there may be an Intelligent Faith which _knows_, not
simply believes. These and other lessons you will learn in time. And
when you have reached the stage where you _feel_ the promptings of
the Higher Reason, and live in accordance therewith, you will say
with Carpenter:
"Lo! the healing power descending from within, calming the enfevered
mind, spreading peace among the grieving nerves. Lo! the eternal
saviour, the sought after of all the world, dwelling hidden (to be
disclosed) within each * * * * O joy insuperable."
"LET A LITTLE SUNSHINE IN."
The young people's song--Good "New Thought" doctrine--Plenty of
sunshine in life, if you look for it--Don't make a dark dungeon of
your mind--Throw open the windows of your soul--How to let a little
sunshine in.
The other night, just as I was dropping off to sleep, a crowd of young
people passed along, returning from some social gathering. They were
bubbling over with mirth and joy, and every girl seemed to be talking
at the same time, the voices of the young men serving merely to
punctuate the sentences of their fair companions. Just after they
passed my window, some one started up a song, and the rest joined in.
I do not know the song they sang, but the chorus went something like
this:
"Let a little sunshine in;
Let a little sunshine in;
Open wide the windows,
Open wide the doors,
And let a little sunshine in."
I listened with pleasure to the words and cheerful air of the song and
said to myself: "Well, that's good enough 'New Thought' doctrine for
me."
The young people went on their way singing. I, now wide awake,
listened and thought. The song grew fainter and fainter as the
distance between us grew greater, and at last I could not clearly
distinguish the words they sang, but the faint vibrations of the tune
still reached me, and I imagined that I could just hear the last words
of the refrain:
"Let a little Sunshine in."
Oh, if only those young people--and all young people--and all people
young or old--would take to their hearts these words, and "let a
little sunshine in." It is not sufficient that you merely agree that
the advice is good--that you merely repeat the words mechanically--you
must make thought take form in action, and not only say the words--not
only think them--but you must ACT them. Make them a part of your
life--incorporate the idea in your being--train yourself into the
habit of opening yourself to the sunshine of Life--get into the way of
letting it flow in.
"Let a little Sunshine in."
There is plenty of sunshine in life, if you only look for it. And
there is plenty of shadow in life, if you only look for it. But in the
things that seem all shadow to others, you will be able to find the
sunshine if you but train yourself to always look for it. And in that
which may seem bright sunshine to some, others will find nothing but
shade--they are troubled with a mental cataract that shuts out all the
rays of the sunshine of life.
"Let a little Sunshine in."
And when you learn to love the sunshine and look forward to seeing it
always, you seem to draw it to you. The Law of Attraction brings to
you your share of the sunshine with which the world is plentifully
supplied. And, if you fall into the habit of looking for and expecting
the shadow, the shadow will always be found.
"Let a little Sunshine in."
It is astonishing what a change the Mental Attitude of the person will
make. Change your Mental Attitude, and the whole world seems to
change. It is like taking off the smoked glasses that have caused the
world to seem dark and gloomy, and seeing the brightness and colors of
the world.
"Let a little Sunshine in."
Many of you have been making dark dungeons of your minds. You have
steadily shut out the sun, and your minds have become musty, damp and
mildewed. Across the floor crawl noxious creatures. The slimy form of
Fear drags itself slowly along, leaving its track behind; the hideous
shape of Jealousy eyes you from one corner--a creature of darkness;
the venomous reptile Hate shows its fangs; the vampire Worry flits
across the chamber. Fearful shapes are there glowering in the
darkness--frightful forms crouch in corners and recesses. All is
gloom, darkness, horror. A fit breeding place for the foul creatures
who fear the light--a fit nursery for monsters. Look within the dark
chambers of your mind--see what it really is--see what it generates.
Look within--look within. Ah, you see at last. No wonder you shriek
with terror--no wonder you turn away with horror. No, no, do not turn
away--look and see yourself as you are. You need the lesson. Now that
you see what you have been carrying around with you, and are sickened
at the sight, start to work to remedy the evil. Throw wide open the
doors; throw open the windows of the soul.
"Let a little Sunshine in."
Ah, yes, never fear, there is plenty of sunshine in the Universe.
Plenty for all of you. There is an infinite supply. Draw it to you.
Take it freely. It is there for _you_. It is your own--your very
own. It is as free as air and the material sunshine. There is no
tariff on it. It is not controlled by any trust or combine. It is not
adulterated. It is everywhere, everywhere. Ho! ye who are dwelling in
darkness! Here is Life and Happiness for you! Here is Peace for you!
Here is Joy for you! Joy, comrades, Joy! Open wide your windows; open
wide your doors.
"Let a little Sunshine in."
Yes, yes! I hear you say that you cannot dispel the gloom with which
you are surrounded. Nonsense. Do you not know that darkness is not a
positive thing--it is the essence of negation. It is not a real thing
at all--it is merely the absence of light. And here you have been for
all these years, believing that the darkness was a real thing that you
could not get rid of. Just stop for a moment and think. If a room in
your house is dark and gloomy, do you hire a man to shovel out the
darkness--do you attempt to do it yourself in your desire for light?
No, no, of course you do not. You just raise the shades, and throw
open the shutters and the sunshine pours in and lo! the darkness has
vanished. So it is with the gloom of the soul, the darkness of the
mind. It is a waste of energy to attempt to dig away the darkness--to
cast out the shadows. You'll never get light in that way. All that you
need to do is to recognize the advantage of light--the fact that light
is to be had--that there is plenty of it anxiously waiting to be let
in. Then all that you need to do is to
"Let a little sunshine in;
Let a little sunshine in;
Open wide the windows,
Open wide the doors,
And let a little sunshine in."