our consciousness from unconsciousness, that the mind is ready to work,
is fresh, is full of ideas." "The grounds of our judgment are often
knowledge so remote from consciousness that we cannot bring them to
view." "That the human mind includes an unconscious part; that
unconscious events occurring in that part are proximate causes of
consciousness; that the greater part of human intuitional action is an
effect of an unconscious cause; the truth of these propositions is so
deducible from ordinary mental events, and is so near the surface that
the failure of deduction to forestall induction in the discerning of it
may well excite wonder." "Our behavior is influenced by unconscious
assumptions respecting our own social and intellectual rank, and that
of the one we are addressing. In company we unconsciously assume a
bearing quite different from that of the home circle. After being raised
to a higher rank the whole behavior subtly and unconsciously changes in
accordance with it." And Schofield adds to the last sentence: "This is
also the case in a minor degree with different styles and qualities of
dress and different environments. Quite unconsciously we change our
behavior, carriage, and style, to suit the circumstance."
Jensen writes: "When we reflect on anything with the whole force of the
mind, we may fall into a state of entire unconsciousness, in which we not
only forget the outer world, but also know nothing at all of ourselves
and the thoughts passing within us after a time. We then suddenly awake
as from a dream, and usually at the same moment the result of our
meditations appears as distinctly in consciousness without our knowing
how we reached it."
Bascom says: "It is inexplicable how premises which lie below
consciousness can sustain conclusions in consciousness; how the mind can
wittingly take up a mental movement at an advanced stage, having missed
its primary steps."
Hamilton and other writers have compared the mind's action to that of a
row of billiard balls, of which one is struck and the impetus transmitted
throughout the entire row, the result being that only the last ball
actually moves, the others remaining in their places. The last ball
represents the conscious thought--the other stages in the unconscious
mentation. Lewes, speaking of this illustration, says: "Something like
this, Hamilton says, seems often to occur in a train of thought, one idea
immediately suggesting another into consciousness--this suggestion
passing through one or more ideas which do not themselves rise into
consciousness. This point, that we are not conscious of the formation of
groups, but only of a formed group, may throw light on the existence of
unconscious judgments, unconscious reasonings, and unconscious
registrations of experience."
Many writers have related the process by which the unconscious mentation
emerges gradually into the field of consciousness, and the discomfort
attending the process. A few examples may prove interesting and
instructive.
Maudsley says: "It is surprising how uncomfortable a person may be made
by the obscure idea of something which he ought to have said or done, and
which he cannot for the life of him remember. There is an effort of the
lost idea to get into consciousness, which is relieved directly the idea
bursts into consciousness."
Oliver Wendell Holmes said: "There are thoughts that never emerge into
consciousness, and which yet make their influence felt among the
perceptive mental currents, just as the unseen planets sway the movements
of the known ones." The same writer also remarks: "I was told of a
business man in Boston who had given up thinking of an important question
as too much for him. But he continued so uneasy in his brain that he
feared he was threatened with palsy. After some hours the natural
solution of the question came to him, worked out, as he believed, in that
troubled interval."
Dr. Schofield mentions several instances of this phase of the workings of
the unconscious planes of the mind. We mention a couple that seem
interesting and to the point:
"Last year," says Dr. Schofield, "I was driving to Phillmore Gardens to
give 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.' Conscious
reason rebuked it, and said, 'Of course you have; you took them out of
the drawer specially.' The vague feeling was not satisfied, but could not
reply. On arrival I found the letters were in none of my pockets. On
returning I found them on the hall table, where they had been placed a
moment putting on my gloves."
"The other day I had to go to see a patient in Folkestone, in Shakespeare
Terrace. I got there very late, and did not stay but drove down to the
Pavilion for the night, it being dark and rainy. Next morning at eleven I
walked up to find the house, knowing the general direction, though never
having walked there before. I went up the main road, and, after passing
a certain turning, began to feel a vague uneasiness coming into
consciousness, that I had passed the terrace. On asking the way, I found
it was so; and the turning was where the uneasiness began. The night
before was pitch dark, and very wet, and anything seen from a close
carriage was quite unconsciously impressed on my mind."
Prof. Kirchener says: "Our consciousness can only grasp one quite clear
idea at once. All other ideas are for the time somewhat obscure. They are
really existing, but only potentially for consciousness, _i.e.,_ they
hover, as it were, on our horizon, or beneath the threshold of
consciousness. The fact that former ideas suddenly return to
consciousness is simply explained by the fact that they have continued
psychic existence: and attention is sometimes voluntarily or
involuntarily turned away from the present, and the appearance of former
ideas is thus made possible."
Oliver Wendell Holmes says: "Our different ideas are stepping-stones; how
we get from one to another we do not know; something carries us. We (our
conscious selves) do not take the step. The creating and informing
spirit, which is _within_ us and not _of_ us, is recognized everywhere in
real life. It comes to us as a voice that will be heard; it tells us what
we must believe; it frames our sentences and we wonder at this visitor
who chooses our brain as his dwelling place."
Galton says: "I have desired to show how whole states of mental operation
that have lapsed out of ordinary consciousness, admit of being dragged
into light."
Montgomery says: "We are constantly aware that feelings emerge
unsolicited by any previous mental state, directly from the dark womb of
unconsciousness. Indeed all our most vivid feelings are thus mystically
derived. Suddenly a new irrelevant, unwilled, unlooked-for presence
intrudes itself into consciousness. Some inscrutable power causes it to
rise and enter the mental presence as a sensorial constituent. If this
vivid dependence on unconscious forces has to be conjectured with regard
to the most vivid mental occurrences, how much more must such a
sustaining foundation be postulated for those faint revivals of previous
sensations that so largely assist in making up our complex mental
presence!"
Sir Benjamin Brodie says: "It has often happened to me to have
accumulated a store of facts, but to have been able to proceed no
further. Then after an interval of time, I have found the obscurity and
confusion to have cleared away: the facts to have settled in their right
places, though I have not been sensible of having made any effort for
that purpose."
Wundt says: "The traditional opinion that consciousness is the entire
field of the internal life cannot be accepted. In consciousness, psychic
acts are very distinct from one another, and observation itself
necessarily conducts to unity in psychology. But the agent of this unity
is outside of consciousness, which knows only the result of the work done
in the unknown laboratory beneath it. Suddenly a new thought springs into
being. Ultimate analysis of psychic processes shows that the unconscious
is the theater of the most important mental phenomena. The conscious is
always conditional upon the unconscious."
Creighton says: "Our conscious life is the sum of these entrances and
exits. Behind the scenes, as we infer, there lies a vast reserve which we
call 'the unconscious,' finding a name for it by the simple device of
prefixing the negative article. The basis of all that lies behind the
scene is the mere negative of consciousness."
Maudsley says: "The process of reasoning adds nothing to knowledge (in
the reasoner). It only displays what was there before, and brings to
conscious possession what before was unconscious." And again: "Mind can
do its work without knowing it. Consciousness is the light that lightens
the process, not the agent that accomplishes it."
Walstein says: "It is through the sub-conscious self that Shakespeare
must have perceived, without effort, great truths which are hidden from
the conscious mind of the student; that Phidias painted marble and
bronze; that Raphael painted Madonnas, and Beethoven composed
symphonies."
Ribot says: "The mind receives from experience certain data, and
elaborates them unconsciously by laws peculiar to itself, and the result
merges into consciousness."
Newman says: "When the unaccustomed causes surprise, we do not perceive
the thing and then feel the surprise; but surprise comes first, and then
we search out the cause; so the theory must have acted on the unconscious
mind to create the feeling, before being perceived in consciousness."
A writer in an English magazine says: "Of what transcendent importance is
the fact that the unconscious part of the mind bears to the conscious
part such a relation as the magic lantern bears to the luminous disc
which it projects; that the greater part of the intentional action, the
whole practical life of the vast majority of men, is an effect of events
as remote from consciousness as the motion of the planets."
Dr. Schofield says: "It is quite true that the range of the unconscious
mind must necessarily remain indefinite; none can say how high or low it
may reach.... As to how far the unconscious powers of life that, as has
been said, can make eggs and feathers out of Indian corn, and milk and
beef and mutton out of grass, are to be considered within or beyond the
lowest limits of unconscious mind, we do not therefore here press. It is
enough to establish the fact of its existence; to point out its more
important features; and to show that in all respects it is as worthy of
being called mind as that which works in consciousness. We therefore
return to our first definition of Mind, as 'the sum of psychic action in
us, whether conscious or unconscious.'"
Hartmann calls our attention to a very important fact when he says: "The
unconscious does not fall ill, the unconscious does not grow weary, but
all conscious mental activity becomes fatigued."
Kant says: "To have ideas and yet not be conscious of them--therein seems
to lie a contradiction. However, we may still be immediately aware of
holding an idea, though we are not directly conscious of it."
Maudsley says: "It may seem paradoxical to assert not merely that ideas
may exist in the mind without any consciousness of them, but that an
idea, or a train of associated ideas, may be quickened into action and
actuate movements without itself being attended to. When an idea
disappears from consciousness it does not necessarily disappear entirely;
it may remain latent below the horizon of consciousness. Moreover it may
produce an effect upon movement, or upon other ideas, when thus active
below the horizon of consciousness."
Liebnitz says: "It does not follow that because we do not perceive
thought that it does not exist. It is a great source of error to believe
that there is no perception in the mind but that of which it is
conscious."
Oliver Wendell Holmes says: "The more we examine the mechanism of thought
the more we shall see that anterior unconscious action of the mind that
enters largely into all of its processes. People who talk most do not
always think most. I question whether persons who think most--that is who
have most conscious thought pass through their mind--necessarily do most
mental work. Every new idea planted in a real thinker's mind grows when
he is least conscious of it."
Maudsley says: "It would go hard with mankind indeed, if they must act
wittingly before they acted at all. Men, without knowing why, follow a
course for which good reasons exist. Nay, more. The practical instincts
of mankind often work beneficially in actual contradiction to their
professed doctrines."
The same writer says: "The best thoughts of an author are the unwilled
thoughts which surprise himself; and the poet, under the influence of
creative activity, is, so far as consciousness is concerned, being
dictated 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 and
waited, losing my boat, which was at another part of the pier, on account
of the unconscious assumption I had made, that this was the only place to
wait for the steamer. I saw a man enter a room, and leave by another
door. Shortly after, I saw another man exactly like him do the same. It
was the same man; but I said it must be his twin brother, in the
unconscious assumption that there was no exit for the first man but by
the way he came (that by returning)."
Maudsley says: "The firmest resolve or purpose sometimes vanishes
issueless when it comes to the brink of an act, while the true will,
which determines perhaps a different act, springs up suddenly out of the
depths of the unconscious nature, surprising and overcoming the
conscious."
Schofield says: "Our unconscious influence is the projection of our
unconscious mind and personality unconsciously over others. This acts
unconsciously on their unconscious centers, producing effects in
character and conduct, recognized in consciousness. For instance, the
entrance of a good man into a room where foul language is used, will
unconsciously modify and purify the tone of the whole room. Our minds
cast 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 their
range. This is a matter of daily experience, and is common to all, though
more noticeable with strong personalities."
Now we have given much time and space to the expressions of opinion of
various Western writers regarding this subject of there being a plane or
planes of the mind outside of the field of consciousness. We have given
space to this valuable testimony, not alone because of its intrinsic
value and merit, but because we wished to impress upon the minds of our
students that these out-of-conscious planes of mind are now being
recognized by the best authorities in the Western world, although it has
been 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 has
brought out some interesting and valuable point of the subject, and the
student will find that his own experiences corroborate the points cited
by the several writers. In this way we think the matter will be made
plainer, and will become fixed in the mind of those who are studying this
course of lessons.
But we must caution our students from hastily adopting the several
theories of Western writers, advanced during the past few years,
regarding these out-of-conscious states. The trouble has been that the
Western writers dazzled by the view of the subconscious planes of
mentation that suddenly burst upon the Western thought, hastily adopted
certain theories, which they felt would account for all the phenomena
known as "psychic," and which they thought would fully account for all
the problems of the subject. These writers while doing a most valuable
work, which has helped thousands to form new ideas regarding the nature
and workings of the mind, nevertheless did not sufficiently explore the
nature of the problem before them. A little study of the Oriental
philosophies might have saved them and their readers much confusion.
For instance, the majority of these writers hastily assumed that because
there _was_ an out-of-conscious plane of mentation, therefore all the
workings of the mind might be grouped under the head of "conscious" and
"sub-conscious," and that all the out-of-conscious phenomena might be
grouped under the head of "subconscious mind," "subjective mind," etc.,
ignoring the fact that this class of mental phenomena embraced not
only the highest but the lowest forms of mentation In their newly found
"mind" (which they called "subjective" or "sub-conscious"), they placed
the lowest traits and animal passions; insane impulses; delusions;
bigotry; animal-like intelligence, etc., etc., as well as the inspiration
of the poet and musician, and the high spiritual longings and feelings
that one recognizes as having come from the higher regions of the soul.
This mistake was a natural one, and at first reading the Western world
was taken by storm, and accepted the new ideas and theories as Truth. But
when reflection came, and analysis was applied there arose a feeling of
disappointment and dissatisfaction, and people began to feel that there
was something lacking. They intuitively recognized that their higher
inspirations and intuitions came from a different part of the mind than
the lower emotions, passions, and other sub-conscious feelings, and
instincts.
A glance at the Oriental philosophies will give one the key to the
problem at once. The Oriental teachers have always held that the
conscious mentation was but a small fraction of the entire volume of
thought, but they have always taught that just as there was a field of
mentation _below_ consciousness, so was there a field of mentation
_above_ consciousness as much higher than Intellect as the other was
lower than it. The mere mention of this fact will prove a revelation to
those who have not heard it before, and who have become entangled with
the several "dual-mind" theories of the recent Western writers. The more
one has read on this subject the more he will appreciate the superiority
of the Oriental theory over that of the Western writers. It is like the
chemical which at once clears the clouded liquid in the test-tube.
In our next lesson we shall go into this subject of the above-conscious
planes, and the below-conscious planes, bringing out the distinction
clearly, and adding to what we have said on the subject in previous
books.
And all this is leading us toward the point where we may give you
instruction regarding the training and cultivation--the retraining and
guidance of these out-of-conscious faculties. By retraining the lower
planes of mentation to their proper work, and by stimulating the higher
ones, man may "make himself over." mentally, and may acquire powers of
which he but dreams now. This is why we are leading you up to the
understanding of this subject, step by step. We advise you to acquaint
yourself with each phase of the matter, that you may be able to apply the
teachings 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 below
consciousness are planes of mind--that just as there are lower planes of
mind which belong to my past experience in ages past and over which I
must now assert my Mastery--so are there planes of mind into which I am
unfolding gradually, which will bring me wisdom, power, and joy. I Am
Myself, in the midst of this mental world--I am the Master of my
Mind--I assert my control of its lower phases, and I demand of its higher
all 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 mind
outside of the field of consciousness. In this lesson we will attempt to
classify these out-of-consciousness planes, by directing your attention
to the several mental planes above and below the plane of consciousness.
As we stated in the last lesson, over 90 per cent of our mental
operations are conducted outside of the field of consciousness, so that
the 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 present
position and stage of unfoldment. And it will pass through many more
steps until it is entirely free and delivered from the necessity of its
swaddling clothes.
In his mental being man contains traces of all that has gone before--all
the experiences of himself and the great race movement of which he is a
part. And, likewise, his mind contains faculties and mental planes which
have not as yet unfolded into consciousness, and of the existence of
which he is but imperfectly aware. All of these mental possessions,
however, are useful and valuable to him--even the lowest. The lowest
may be used to advantage, under proper mastery, and are only dangerous to
the man who allows them to master him instead of serving him as they
should, considering his present stage of development.
In this consideration of the several mental planes we shall not confine
ourselves to the technical occult terms given to these several planes,
but will place them in general groups and describe the features and
characteristics of each, rather than branch off into long explanations of
the growth and reason of the several planes, which would take us far away
from 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 built
up of countless molecules, atoms and particles of matter--precisely the
same matter that composes the rocks, trees, air, etc., around him. The
Yogi philosophy tells us that even the atoms of matter have life and an
elementary manifestation of mind, which causes them to group together
according to the law of attraction, forming different elements,
combinations, etc. This law of attraction is a mental operation, and is
the first evidence of mental choice, action and response. Below this is
Prana or Force, which, strictly speaking, is also a manifestation of
mind, although for convenience we designate it as a separate
manifestation of the Absolute.
And therefore we find that this law of attraction between the atoms and
particles of matter is a mental action, and that it belongs to man's
mental kingdom, because he has a body and this mental action is
continually going on in his body. So therefore this is the lowest mental
plane to be considered in the make-up of the man. This plane is, of
course, far sunken beneath the plane of consciousness, and is scarcely
identified with the personality of the man at all, but rather belongs to
the 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 have
formed molecules of matter, they are taken possession of by a higher
mental activity and built up into cells by the mental action of the
plant. The life impulse of the plant begins by drawing to it certain
particles of inorganic matter--chemical elements--and then building them
into a single cell. Oh, mystery of the cell! The intellect of man is
unable to duplicate this wonderful process. The Mind Principle on the
Vegetative Plane, however, knows exactly how to go to work to select and
draw to itself just the elements needed to build up the single cell. Then
taking up its abode in that cell--using it as a basis of operations, it
proceeds to duplicate its previous performance, and so cell after cell
is added, by the simple reproductive process of division and
subdivision--the primitive and elemental sex process--until the mighty
plant is built up. From the humblest vegetable organism up to the
greatest oak the process is the same.