around you at Life in all its forms, from the lowest to the highest, all
being exhibitions of the great principle of Life in operation along
different stages of The Path. Scorn not the humblest forms, but look
behind the form and see the reality--Life. Feel yourself a part of the
great 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 of
view) with the principle behind them. Look at the plant-life, and the
animal life, and seek to see behind the veil of form into the real Life
behind and underneath the form. Learn to feel your Life throbbing and
thrilling with the Life Principle in these other forms, and in the forms
of those of your own race. Gaze into the starry skies and see there the
numerous suns and worlds, all peopled with life in some of its myriad
forms, and feel your kinship to it. If you can grasp this thought and
consciousness, you will find yourself at-one-ment with those whirling
worlds, and, instead of feeling small and insignificant by comparison,
you will be conscious of an expansion of Self, until you feel that in
those 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 the
Universe--nay, more, that they are as much your home as is the spot upon
which you are standing. You will find sweeping upon you a sense of
consciousness that the Universe is your home--not merely a part of it, as
you had previously thought. You will experience a sense of greatness, and
broadness and grandness such as you have never dreamed of. You will begin
to realize at least a part of your Divine inheritance, and to know indeed
that you are a Child of the Infinite, the very essence of your Divine
Parent being in the fibres of your being, At such times of realization
one becomes conscious of what lies before the soul in its upward path,
and how small the greatest prizes that Earth has to offer are when
compared 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, but
must treat them hospitably, for they are your very own, coming to you
from the regions of your Spiritual Mind which are unfolding into
consciousness.
(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 the
same time the sense of consciousness that the "I" is in that Reality. It
is most difficult to express this thought in words for it is something
that must be felt, rather than seen by the Intellect. When the Soul
realizes that the Spirit within it is, at the last, the only _real_ part
of it, and that the Absolute and its manifestation as Spirit is the only
_real_ thing in the Universe, a great step has been taken. But there is
still one higher step to be taken before the full sense of the Oneness
and Reality comes to us. That step is the one in which we realize the
Identity of the "I" with the great "I" of the Universe. The mystery of
the manifestation of the Absolute in the form of the Spirit, is veiled
from us--the mind confesses its inability to penetrate behind the veil
shielding the Absolute from view, although it will give us a report of
its being conscious of the presence of the Absolute just at the edge of
the boundary line. But the highest region of the Spiritual Mind, when
explored by the advanced souls who are well along the Path, reports that
it sees beyond the apparent separation of Spirit from Spirit, and
realizes that there is but one Reality of Spirit, and that all the "I"'s
are really but different views of that One--Centres of Consciousness upon
the surface of the One Great "I," the Centre of which is the Absolute
Itself. This certainly penetrates the whole region of the Spiritual Mind,
and gives us all the message of Oneness of the Spirit, just as the
Intellect 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 of
your clearest mental vision, is really the reflection of the sense of
Reality underlying the Whole--it is the consciousness of the Whole,
manifesting through your point or Centre of Consciousness. The advanced
student or Initiate finds his consciousness gradually enlarging until it
realizes its identity with the Whole. He realizes that under all the
forms and names of the visible world, there is to be found One Life--One
Force--One Substance--One Existence--One Reality--ONE. And, instead of
his experiencing any sense of the loss of identity or individuality, he
becomes conscious of an enlargement of an expansion of individuality or
identity--instead of feeling himself absorbed in the Whole, he feels that
he is spreading out and embracing the Whole. This is most hard to express
in words, for there are no words to fit the conception, and all that we
can hope to do is to start into motion, by means of our words, the
vibrations that will find a response in the minds of those who read the
words, to the end that they will experience the consciousness which will
bring its own understanding. This consciousness cannot be transmitted by
words proceeding from the Intellect, but vibrations may be set up that
will prepare the mind to receive the message from its own higher planes.
Even in the early stages of this dawning consciousness, one is enabled to
identify the _real_ part of himself with the _real_ part of all the other
forms of life that pass before his notice. In every other man--in every
animal--in every plant--in every mineral--he sees behind the sheath and
form of appearance, an evidence of the presence of the Spirit which is
akin to his own Spirit--yea, more than akin, for the two are One. He sees
Himself in all forms of life, in all time in all places. He realizes that
the Real Self is everywhere present and everlasting, and that the Life
within himself is also within all the Universe--in everything, for there
is nothing dead in the Universe, and all Life, in all of its varying
phases, 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, and
while apparently separate and distinct, is yet really in touch with the
Whole, and with every apparent part.
It is not our intention, in this lesson, to go into the details of this
great mystery of Life, or to recite the comparatively little of the Truth
that the most advanced teachers and Masters have handed down. This is not
the place for it--it belongs to the subject of Gnani Yoga rather than to
Raja Yoga--and we touch upon it here, not for the purpose of trying to
explain the scientific side of it to you, but merely in order that your
minds may be led to take up the idea and gradually manifest it in
conscious realization. There is quite a difference between the
scientific, intellectual teaching of Gnani Yoga, whereby the metaphysical
and scientific sides of the Yogi teachings are presented to the minds of
the students, in a logical, scientific manner, and the methods of Raja
Yoga, in which the Candidate is led by degrees to a _consciousness_
(outside of mere intellectual belief) of his real nature and powers. We
are following the latter plan, for this course is a Course in _Raja_
Yoga. We are aiming to present the matter to the mind in such a manner
that it may prepare the way for the dawning consciousness, by brushing
away the preconceived notions and prejudices, and allowing a clean
entrance for the new conception. Much that we have said in this lesson
may appear, on the one hand, like useless repetition, and, on the other
hand, like an incomplete presentation of the scientific side of the Yogi
teachings. But it will be found, in time, that the effect has been that
the mind of the student has undergone a change from the absorbing of the
idea of the Oneness of Life, and the Expansion of the Self. The Candidate
is urged not to be in too much of a hurry. Development must not be
forced. Read what we have written, and practice the Mental Drills we have
given, even if they may appear trifling and childish to some of you--we
know what they will do for you, and you will agree with us in time. Make
haste slowly. You will find that the mind will work out the matter, even
though you be engaged in your ordinary work, and have forgotten the
subject for the time. The greater portion of mental work is done in this
way, while you are busy with something else, or even asleep, for the
sub-conscious portion of the mind works along the lines pointed out for
it, and performs its task.
As we have said, the purpose of this lesson is to bring you in the way of
the unfoldment of consciousness, rather than to teach you the details of
the scientific side of the Yogi teachings. Development is the keynote of
Raja Yoga. And the reason that we wish to develop this sense of the
Reality of the "I," and the Expansion of the Self, at this place is that
thereby you may assert your Mastery over Matter, Energy and Mind. Before
you may mount your throne as King, you must fully realize in
consciousness that you _are_ the _Reality_ in this world of appearances.
You must realize that you--the _real_ You--are not only existent, and
real, but that you are in touch with all else that is real, and that the
roots of your being are grounded in the Absolute itself. You must realize
that instead of being a separate atom of Reality, isolated and fixed in a
narrow space, you are a Centre of Consciousness in the Whole of Reality,
and that the Universe of Universes is your home--that your Centre of
Consciousness might be moved on to a point trillions of miles from the
Earth (which distance would be as nothing in Space) and still you--the
awakened soul--would be just as much at home there as here--that even
while you are here, your influence extends far out into space. Your real
state, which will be revealed to you, gradually, throughout the ages, is
so great and grand, that your mind in its present state of development
cannot grasp even the faint reflection of that glory.
We wish you to try to form at least a faint idea of your Real State of
Being, in order that you may control the lower principles by the force of
your awakened Will, which Will depends upon your degree of consciousness
of the Real Self.
As man grows in understanding and consciousness of the Real Self, so does
his 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 it
Love for all of Life, and Kindness, for, were it not so, the Will that
comes to him who grows into a realization of his real being could be used
to 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 soul
is ever really _hurt_). But the dawning power brings with it greater Love
and Kindness, and the higher the soul mounts the more is it filled with
the higher ideals and the more does it throw from it the lower animal
attributes. It is true that some souls growing into a consciousness of
their real nature, without an understanding of what it all means, may
commit the error of using the awakened Will for selfish ends, as may be
seen in the cases of the Black Magicians spoken of in the occult
writings, and also in the cases of well known characters in history and
in modern life, who manifest an enormous Will which they misuse. All of
this class of people of great Will have stumbled or grown blindly into a
consciousness (or partial consciousness) of the real nature, but lack the
restraining influence of the higher teachings. But such misuse of the
Will brings pain and unrest to the user, and he is eventually driven into
the right road.
We do not expect our students to grasp fully this idea of the Expansion
of Self. Even the highest grasp it only partially. But until you get a
glimmering of the consciousness you will not be able to progress far
on the path of Raja Yoga. You must understand _what you are_, before you
are able to use the power that lies dormant within you. You must realize
that 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, your
Teachers, while we set before you the lessons to be learned--the tasks to
be performed. The road is long, and is rough in places--the feet may
become tired and bruised, but the reward is great, and there are resting
places along the path. Be not discouraged if your progress seem slow, for
the soul must unfold naturally as does the flower, without haste, without
force.
And be not dismayed nor affrighted if you occasionally catch a glimpse
of 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, is
to have obtained a momentary glimpse in thyself of the transfiguration
which shall eventually make thee more than man; to recognize, is to
achieve the great task of gazing upon the blazing light without dropping
the eyes, and not falling back in terror as though before some ghastly
phantom. 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 from
Mind, and all are an emanation of the Absolute, threefold in appearance
but One in substance. There is but One Life, and that permeates the
Universe, manifesting in various forms, but being, at the last, but One.
My body is one with Universal Matter; My energy and vital force is one
with the Universal Energy; My Mind is one with the Universal Mind; My
Life is one with the Universal Life. The Absolute has expressed and
manifested itself in Spirit, which is the real "I" overshadowing and
embracing all the apparently separate "I"s. "I" feel my identity with
Spirit and realize the Oneness of All Reality. I feel my unity with all
Spirit, and my Union (through Spirit) with the Absolute. I realize that
"I" am an Expression and Manifestation of the Absolute, and that its
very essence is within me. I am filled with Divine Love. I am filled with
Divine Power. I am filled with Divine Wisdom. I am conscious of identity
in 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 bring
into realization within your mind (1) the consciousness of the "I"; its
independence from the body; its immortality; its invincibility and
invulnerability; (2) the superiority of the "I" over the mind, as well as
over the body; the fact that the mind is not the "I," but is merely an
instrument for the expression of the "I"; the fact that the "I" is master
of 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 still
realize that it, the "I," is apart from these mental manifestations, and
remains unchanged, real and fully existent; that the "I" can set aside
any and all of its mental tools and instruments, as "not I" things, and
still consciously realize that after so setting them aside there remains
something--itself--the "I" which cannot be set aside or taken from; that
the "I" is the master of the mind, and not its slave; (3) that the "I" is
a much greater thing than the little personal "I" we have been
considering it to be; that the "I" is a part of that great One Reality
which pervades all the Universe; that it is connected with all other
forms of life by countless ties, mental and spiritual filaments and
relations; that the "I" is a Centre of Consciousness in that great One
Reality or Spirit, which is behind and back of all Life and Existence,
the Centre of which Reality or Existence, is the Absolute or God; that
the sense of Reality that is inherent in the "I," is really the
reflection 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 to
all of them, just as they are positive or negative to each other--and
negative only to the Centre of the One--the Absolute itself. And this is
the position for the Candidate or Initiate to take: "I am positive to
Mind, Energy, and Matter, and control them all--I am negative only to the
Absolute, which is the Centre of Being, of which Being I Am. And, as I
assert my mastery over Mind, Energy, and Matter, and exercise my Will
over them, so do I acknowledge my subordination to the Absolute, and
gladly open my soul to the inflow of the Divine Will, and partake of its
Power, Strength, and Wisdom."
In the present lesson, and those immediately following it, we shall
endeavor to assist the Candidate or Initiate in acquiring a mastery of
the subordinate manifestations, Matter, Energy, and Mind. In order to
acquire and assert this mastery, one must acquaint himself with the
nature of the thing to be controlled.
In our "Advanced Course" we have endeavored to explain to you the nature
of the Three Great Manifestations, known as _Chitta_, or Mind-Substance;
_Prana_, or Energy; and _Akasa_, or the Principle of Matter. We also
explained to you that the "I" of man is superior to these three, being
what is known as _Atman_ or Spirit. Matter, Energy, and Mind, as we have
explained, are manifestations of the Absolute, and are relative things.
The Yogi philosophy teaches that Matter is the grossest form of
manifested substance, being below Energy and Mind, and consequently
negative to, and subordinate to both. One stage higher than Matter, is
Energy or Force, which is positive to, and has authority over, Matter
(Matter being a still grosser form of substance), but which is negative
to 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 of
substance, and which dominates both Energy and Matter, being positive to
both. Mind, however is negative and subordinate to the "I," which is
Spirit, and obeys the orders of the latter when firmly and intelligently
given. The "I" itself is subordinate only to the Absolute--the Centre of
Being--the "I" being positive and dominant over the threefold
manifestation of Mind, Energy, and Matter.
The "I," which for the sake of the illustration must be regarded as a
separate thing (although it is really only a Centre of Consciousness in
the great body of Spirit), finds itself surrounded by the triple-ocean of
Mind, Energy and Matter, which ocean extends into Infinity. The body is
but a physical form through which flows an unending stream of matter,
for, as you know the particles and atoms of the body are constantly
changing; being renewed; replaced; thrown off, and supplanted. One's body
of a few years ago, or rather the particles composing that body, have
passed off and now form new combinations in the world of matter. And
one'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, from
which space and combinations they will later come to combine and form the
body of next year. There is nothing permanent about the body--even the
particles of the bones are being constantly replaced by others. And
so it is with the Vital Energy, Force, or Strength of the body (including
that of the brain). It is constantly being used up, and expended, a fresh
supply taking its place. And even the Mind of the person is changeable,
and the Mind-substance or _Chitta_, is being used up and replenished, the
new supply coming from the great Ocean of Mind, into which the discarded
portion slips, just as is the case with the matter and energy.
While the majority of our students, who are more or less familiar with
the current material scientific conceptions, will readily accept the
above idea of the ocean of Matter, and Energy, and the fact that there
is a continual using up and replenishing of one's store of both, they may
have 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 two
manifestations, or attributes of substance. One is so apt to think of his
Mind as "himself"--the "I." Notwithstanding the fact that in our Second
Lesson of this series we showed you that the "I" is superior to the
mental states, and that it can set them aside and regard and consider
them as "not-I" things, yet the force of the habit of thought is very
strong, and it may take some of you considerable time before you "get
into the way" of realizing that your Mind is "something that you use,"
instead of being You--yourself. And yet, you must persevere in attaining
this realization, for in the degree that you realize your dominance over
your mind, so will be your control of it, and its amenability to that
control. And, as is the degree of that dominance and control, so will
be the character, grade and extent of the work that your Mind will do for
you. So you see: _Realization brings Control_--_and Control brings
results_. This statement lies at the base of the science of _Raja Yoga_.
And many of its first exercises are designed to acquaint the student with
that realization, and to develop the realization and control by habit and
practice.
The Yogi Philosophy teaches that instead of Mind being the "I." it is
the thing through and by means of which the "I" _thinks_, at least so
far as is concerned the knowledge concerning the phenomenal or outward
Universe--that is the Universe of Name and Form. There is a higher
Knowledge locked up in the innermost part of the "I," that far transcends
any information that it may receive about or from the outer world, but
that is not before us for consideration at this time, and we must concern
ourselves with the "thinking" about the world of things.
Mind-substance in Sanscrit is called "_Chitta_," and a wave in the
_Chitta_ (which wave is the combination of Mind and Energy) is called
"_Vritta_," which is akin to what we call a "thought." In other words it
is "mind in action," whereas _Chitta_ is "mind in repose." _Vritta_, when
literally translated means "a whirlpool or eddy in the mind," which is
exactly what a thought really is.
But we must call the attention of the student, at this point, to the fact
that the word "Mind" is used in two ways by the Yogis and other
occultists, and the student is directed to form a clear conception of
each meaning, in order to avoid confusion, and that he may more clearly
perceive the two aspects of the things which the word is intended to
express. In the first place the word "Mind" is used as synonymous
with _Chitta_, or Mind-substance, which is the Universal Mind Principle.
From this _Chitta_, Mind-substance, or Mind, all the material of the
millions 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--that
which distinguishes his mental personality from that of another. We have
taught you that this "mind" in Man, functions on three planes, and have
called the respective manifestations (1) the Instinctive Mind; (2) the
Intellect; and (3) the Spiritual Mind. (_See "Fourteen Lessons in Yogi
Philosophy," etc._) These three mental planes, taken together, make up
the "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 as
synonymous with "spirit" but those who have followed us will distinguish
the difference. The "soul" is the Ego surrounded by its mental
principles, while the Spirit is the "soul of the soul"--the "I," or Real
Self.