Universe or be able to give an answer to the great Questions of Life--but
he has ceased to worry about them--they now disturb him not. He may use
his intellect upon them as before, but never with the feeling that in
their intellectual solution rests his happiness or peace of mind. He
knows that he stands on solid rock, and though the storms of the world of
matter and force may beat upon him, he will not be hurt. This and other
things he knows. He cannot prove these things to others, for they are not
demonstrable by argument--he himself did not get them in that way. And so
he 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--his
life is different from that of his brothers, for while their souls are
wrapped in slumber or are tossing in troubled dreams, his Soul has
awakened 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 a
slight degree, while others have it fully. Perhaps this lesson will tell
some of its readers just what is the thing that has "happened" to them
and which they hesitate to speak of to their closest friend or life
companion. To others it may open the way to a fuller realization. We
sincerely 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 to
but very few of the race. Reports of it come from all times, races,
countries. It has been called "Cosmic Consciousness," and is described as
an awareness of the Oneness of Life--that is, a consciousness that the
Universe is filled with One Life--an actual perception and "awareness"
that the Universe is full of Life, Motion and Mind, and that there is
no 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 and
Mind, is as they describe. In fact, the description of those who have had
glimpses of this state would indicate that they see the Universe as All
Mind--that All is Mind at the last. This form of consciousness has been
experienced by men here and there--only a few--in moments of
"Illumination," the period lasting but a very short space of time, then
fading away, leaving but a memory. In the moment of the "Illumination"
there came to those experiencing it a sense of "intouch-ness" with
Universal Knowledge and Life, impossible to describe, accompanied by a
Joy beyond understanding.
Regarding this last, "Cosmic Consciousness," we would state that it means
more than an intellectual conviction, belief or realization of the facts
as stated, for an actual _vision_ and _consciousness_ of these things
came in the moment of Illumination. Some others report that they have a
deep abiding sense of the reality of the facts described by the report of
the Illumined, but have not experienced the "vision" or ecstasy referred
to. These last people seem to have with them always the same mental state
as that possessed by those who had the "vision" and passed out of it,
carrying with them the remembrance and feeling, but not the actual
consciousness attained at the moment. They agree upon the essential
particulars of the reports. Dr. Maurice Bucke, now passed out of this
plane of life, wrote a book entitled "Cosmic Consciousness," in which he
describes a number of these cases, including his own, Walt Whitman's and
others, and in which he holds that this stage of consciousness is before
the race and will gradually come to it in the future. He holds that the
manifestation of it which has come to some few of the race, as above
stated, is but the first beams of the sun which are flashing upon us and
which are but prophecies of the appearance of the great body of light
itself.
We shall not here consider at length the reports of certain great
religious personages of the past, who have left records that in moments
of great spiritual exaltation they became conscious of "being in the
presence of the Absolute," or perhaps within the radius of "the light of
Its countenance." We have great respect for these reports, and have every
reason for believing many of them authentic, notwithstanding the
conflicting reports that have been handed down to us by those
experiencing them. These reports are conflicting because of the fact that
the minds of those who had these glimpses of consciousness were not
prepared or trained to fully understand the nature of the phenomena. They
found themselves in the spiritual presence of Something of awful grandeur
and spiritual rank, and were completely dazed and bewildered at the
sight. They did not understand the nature of the Absolute, and when they
had sufficiently recovered they reported that they had been in the
"presence of God"--the word "God" meaning their particular conception
of Deity--that is, the one appearing as Deity in their own particular
religious creed or school. They saw nothing to cause them to identify
this Something with their particular conception of Deity, except that
they thought that "it _must_ be God," and knowing no other God except
their own particular conception, they naturally identifying the Something
with "God" as they conceived Him to be. And their reports naturally
were along these lines.
Thus the reports of all religions are filled with accounts of the
so-called miraculous occurrences. The Catholic saint reports that he "saw
of light of God's countenance," and the non-Catholic reports likewise
regarding God as he knows him. The Mohammedan reports that he caught a
glimpse of the face of Allah, and the Buddhist tells us that he saw
Buddha under the tree. The Brahman has seen the face of Brahma, and the
various Hindu sects have men who give similar reports regarding their own
particular deities. The Persians have given similar reports, and even the
ancient Egyptians have left records of similar occurrences. These
conflicting reports have led to the belief, on the part of those who did
not understand the nature of the phenomena, that these things were "all
imagination" and fancy, if indeed not rank falsehood and imposture. But
the Yogis know better than this. They know that underneath all these
varying reports there is a common ground of truth, which will be apparent
to 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 various
observers. They know that these people were temporarily lifted above the
ordinary plane of consciousness and were made aware of the existence of a
Being or Beings higher than mortal. It does not follow that they saw
"God" or the Absolute, for there are many Beings of high spiritual growth
and development that would appear to the ordinary mortal as a very God.
The Catholic doctrine of Angels and Arch-angels is corroborated by those
among the Yogis who have been "behind the Veil," and they give us reports
of the "Devas" and other advanced Beings. So the Yogi accepts these
reports of the various mystics, saints and inspired ones, and accounts
for them all by laws perfectly natural to the students of the Yogi
Philosophy, but which appear as supernatural to those who have not
studied 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 the
general subject before us. But we wish to be understood as saying that
there are certain centers in the mental being of Man from which may come
light 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 does
not arrive at that underlying consciousness of "Something Beyond" by
means of his Intellect--it is the glimmer of light coming from the higher
centers of the Self. He notices these gleams of light, but not
understanding them, he proceeds to erect elaborate theological and
creedal structures to account for them, the work of the Intellect,
however, always lacking that "feeling" that the intuition itself
possesses. True religion, no matter under what name it may masquerade,
comes from the "heart" and is not comforted or satisfied with these
Intellectual explanations, and hence comes that unrest and craving for
satisfaction which comes to Man when the light begins to break through.
But we must postpone a further discussion of this part of the subject for
the present. We shall consider it again in a future lesson in connection
with other matters. As we have said, our next two lessons will take upon
the inquiry regarding the regions outside of the consciousness of the
ordinary man. You will find it a most fascinating and instructive inquiry
and 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 am
unfolding gradually but surely into higher planes of consciousness. I am
moving Forward and Upward constantly. My goal is the Realization of the
True Self, and I welcome each stage of Unfoldment that leads me toward my
aim. 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 the
Mind, but which vehicle is much larger and far more complex than we are
apt 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 conscious
experience." 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, on
the contrary, that which we know in consciousness is but a small part of
the Soul--the conscious vehicle of a greater Self, or "I."
The Yogis have always taught that the mind has many planes of
manifestation and action--and that many of its planes operated above and
below the plane of consciousness. Western science is beginning to realize
this fact, and its theories regarding same may be found in any of the
later works on psychology. But this is a matter of recent development in
Western science. Until very recently the text books held that
Consciousness and Mind were synonymous, and that the Mind was conscious
of all of its activities, changes and modifications.
Liebnitz was one of the first Western philosophers to advance the idea
that there were planes of mental activity outside of the plane of
consciousness, and since his time the leading thinkers have slowly but
surely moved forward to his position.
At the present time it is generally conceded that at least ninety per
cent of our mental operations take place in the out-of-conscious realm.
Prof. Elmer Gates, the well known scientist, has said: "At least ninety
per cent of our mental life is sub-conscious. If you will analyze your
mental operations you will find that conscious thinking is never a
continuous line of consciousness, but a series of conscious data with
great intervals of subconscious. We sit and try to solve a problem, and
fail. We walk around, try again, and fail. Suddenly an idea dawns that
leads to the solution of the problem. The subconscious processes were at
work. We do not volitionally create our own thinking. It takes place in
us. We are more or less passive recipients. We cannot change the nature
of a thought, or of a truth, but we can, as it were, _guide the ship by a
moving of the helm_. Our mentation is largely the result of the great
Cosmic Whole upon us."
Sir William Hamilton says that the sphere of our consciousness is only a
small 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 this
twilight and this night are as real as those within the luminous circle."
Sir Oliver Lodge, the eminent English scientist, speaking of the planes
of 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, and
into which in due course it will some day return. Or, reversing the
metaphor, we might liken our present state to that of the hulls of
ships submerged in a dim ocean among strange monsters, propelled in a
blind manner through space; proud perhaps of accumulating many barnacles
as decoration; only recognizing our destination by bumping against the
dock-wall; and with no cognizance of the deck and cabins above us, or
the spars and sails--no thought of the sextant, and the compass, and
the captain--no perception of the lookout on the mast--of the distant
horizon. With no vision of objects far ahead--dangers to be
avoided--destinations to be reached--other ships to be spoken to by
means other than by bodily contact--a region of sunshine and cloud, of
space, or perception, and of intelligence utterly inaccessible to parts
below the waterline."
We ask our students to read carefully the above expression of Sir Oliver
Lodge, for it gives one of the clearest and most accurate figures of the
actual state of affairs concerning the mental planes that we have seen in
Western writings.
And other Western writers have noted and spoken of these out-of-conscious
realms. Lewes has said: "It is very certain that in every conscious
volition--every act that is so characterized--the larger part of it is
quite unconscious. It is equally certain that in every perception there
are unconscious processes of reproduction and inference. There is a
middle distance of sub-consciousness, and a background of
unconsciousness."
Taine has told us that: "Mental events imperceptible to consciousness are
far more numerous than the others, and of the world that makes up our
being we only perceive the highest points--the lighted-up peaks of a
continent whose lower levels remain in the shade. Beneath ordinary
sensations are their components, that is to say, the elementary
sensations, which must be combined into groups to reach our
consciousness."
Maudsley says: "Examine closely and without bias the ordinary mental
operations of daily life, and you will find that consciousness has not
one-tenth part of the function therein which it is commonly assumed
to have. In every conscious state there are at work conscious,
sub-conscious, and infra-conscious energies, the last as indispensable as
the first."
Oliver Wendall Holmes said: "There are thoughts that never emerge into
consciousness, which yet make their influence felt among the perceptible
mental currents, just as the unseen planets sway the movements of those
that are watched and mapped by the astronomer."
Many other writers have given us examples and instances of the operation
of the out-of-consciousness planes of thought. One has written that when
the solution of a problem he had long vainly dealt with, flashed across
his mind, he trembled as if in the presence of another being who had
communicated a secret to him. All of us have tried to remember a name
or similar thing without success, and have then dismissed the matter from
our minds, only to have the missing name or thought suddenly presented to
our conscious mind a few minutes, or hours, afterwards. Something in our
mind was at work hunting up the missing word, and when it found it it
presented it to us.
A writer has mentioned what he called "unconscious rumination," which
happened to him when he read books presenting new points of view
essentially opposed to his previous opinions. After days, weeks, or
months, he found that to his great astonishment the old opinions were
entirely rearranged, and new ones lodged there. Many examples of this
unconscious mental digestion and assimilation are mentioned in the books
on the subject written during the past few years.
It is related of Sir W. R. Hamilton that he discovered quarternions one
day while walking with his wife in the observatory at Dublin. He relates
that he suddenly felt "the galvanic circle of thought" close, and the
sparks that fell from it was the fundamental mathematical relations of
his problem, which is now an important law in mathematics.
Dr. Thompson has written: "At times I have had a feeling of the
uselessness of all voluntary effort, and also that the matter was working
itself clear in my mind. It has many times seemed to me that I was really
a passive instrument in the hands of a person not myself. In view of
having to wait for the results of these unconscious processes, I have
proved the habit of getting together material in advance, and then
leaving the mass to digest itself till I am ready to write about it. I
delayed for a month the writing of my book 'System of Psychology,' but
continued reading the authorities. I would not try to think about the
book. I would watch with interest the people passing the windows. One
evening when reading the paper, the substance of the missing part of the
book flashed upon my mind, and I began to write. This is only a sample of
many such experiences."
Berthelot, the founder of Synthetic Chemistry has said that the
experiments leading to his wonderful discoveries have never been the
result 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 my
compositions. My ideas flow, and I cannot say whence or how they come. I
do not hear in my imagination the parts successively, but I hear them, as
it were, all at once. The rest is merely an attempt to reproduce what I
have heard."
Dr. Thompson, above mentioned, has also said: "In writing this work I
have 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 and
unhesitatingly wrote the result. I have best accomplished this by leading
the (conscious) mind as far away as possible from the subject upon which
I was writing."
Prof. Barrett says: "The mysteriousness of our being is not confined to
subtle physiological processes which we have in common with all animal
life. There are higher and more capacious powers wrapped up in our human
personality than are expressed even by what we know of consciousness,
will, or reason. There are supernormal and transcendental powers of
which, at present, we only catch occasional glimpses; and behind and
beyond the supernormal there are fathomless abysses, the Divine ground of
the soul; the ultimate reality of which our consciousness is but the
reflection or faint perception. Into such lofty themes I do not propose
to enter, they must be forever beyond the scope of human inquiry; nor is
it possible within the limits of this paper to give any adequate
conception of those mysterious regions of our complex personality, which
are open to, and beginning to be disclosed by, scientific investigation."
Rev. Dr. Andrew Murray has written: "Deeper down than where the soul with
its consciousness can enter there is spirit matter linking man with God;
and deeper down than the mind and feelings or will--in the unseen depths
of the hidden life--there dwells the Spirit of God." This testimony is
remarkable, coming from that source, for it corroborates and reiterates
the Yogi teachings of the Indwelling Spirit Schofield has written: "Our
conscious mind as compared with the unconscious mind, has been likened
to the visible spectrum of the sun's rays, as compared to the invisible
part which stretches indefinitely on either side. We know now that the
chief part of heat comes from the ultra-red rays that show no light; and
the main part of the chemical changes in the vegetable world are the
results of the ultra-violet rays at the other end of the spectrum, which
are equally invisible to the eye, and are recognized only by their potent
effects. Indeed as these invisible rays extend indefinitely on both sides
of the visible spectrum, so we may say that the mind includes not only
the visible or conscious part, and what we have termed the sub-conscious,
that which lies below the red line, but the supraconscious mind that lies
at the other end--all those regions of higher soul and spirit life, of
which 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 the
sub-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 Yogi
Philosophy regarding the Planes of the Mind (see "Fourteen Lessons").
We feel justified in quoting further from Dr. Schofield, for he voices in
the strongest manner that which the Yogi Philosophy teaches as
fundamental truths regarding the mind. Dr. Schofield is an English
writer on Psychology, and so far as we know has no tendency toward
occultism, his views having been arrived at by careful scientific study
and investigation along the lines of Western psychology, which renders
his testimony all the more valuable, showing as it does, how the human
mind will instinctively find its way to the Truth, even if it has to
blaze a new trail through the woods, departing from the beaten tracks
of other minds around it, which lack the courage or enterprise to strike
out for themselves.
Dr. Schofield writes: "The mind, indeed, reaches all the way, and while
on the one hand it is inspired by the Almighty, on the other it energizes
the body, all whose purposive life it originates. We may call the
supra-conscious mind the sphere of the spirit life, the sub-conscious the
sphere of the body life, and the conscious mind the middle region where
both meet."
Continuing, Dr. Schofield says: "The Spirit of God is said to
dwell in believers, and yet, as we have seen, His presence is not the
subject of direct consciousness. We would include, therefore, in the
supra-conscious, all such spiritual ideas, together with conscience--the
voice of God, as Max Muller calls it--which is surely a half-conscious
faculty. Moreover, the supra-conscious, like the sub-conscious, is, as we
have said, best apprehended when the conscious mind is not active.
Visions, meditations, prayers, and even dreams have been undoubtedly
occasions of spiritual revelations, and many instances may be adduced as
illustrations of the workings of the Spirit apart from the action of
reason or mind. The truth apparently is that the mind as a whole is an
unconscious state, by that its middle registers, excluding the highest
spiritual and lowest physical manifestations, are fitfully illuminated
in varying degree by consciousness; and that it is to this illuminated
part of the dial that the word "mind," which rightly appertains to the
whole, has been limited."
Oliver Wendell Holmes has said: "The automatic flow of thought is often
singularly favored by the fact of listening to a weak continuous
discourse, with just enough ideas in it to keep the (conscious) mind
busy. The induced current of thought is often rapid and brilliant in
inverse ratio to the force of the inducing current."
Wundt says: "The unconscious logical processes are carried on with a
certainty and regularity which would be impossible where there exists the
possibility of error. Our mind is so happily designed that it prepares
for us the most important foundations of cognition, whilst we have not
the slightest apprehension of the _modus operandi_. This unconscious
soul, like a benevolent stranger, works and makes provisions for our
benefit, pouring only the mature fruits into our laps."