RAJA YOGA/PART 9
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.
And
it does not stop there. The body of man is also built up in just this way, and
he has this vegetative mind also within him, below the plane of consciousness,
of course. To many this thought of a vegetative mind may be somewhat startling.
But let us remember that every part of our body has been built up from the
vegetable cell. The unborn child starts with the coalition of two cells. These
cells begin to build up the new body for the occupancy of the child—that is,
the mind principle in the cells directs the work, of course—drawing upon the
body of the mother for nourishment and supplies. The nourishment in the
mother's blood, which supplies the material for the building up of the child's
body, is obtained by the mother eating and assimilating the vegetable cells of
plants, directly or indirectly. If she eats fruit, nuts, vegetables, etc., she
obtains the nourishment of the plant life directly—if she eats meat she obtains
it indirectly, for the animal from which the meat was taken built up the meat
from vegetables. There is no two ways about this—all nourishment of the animal
and human kingdom is obtained from the vegetable kingdom, directly or
indirectly.
And
the cell action in the child is identical with the cell action in the plant.
Cells constantly reproducing themselves and building themselves up into bodily
organs, parts, etc., under the direction and guidance of the mind principle.
The child grows in this way until the hour of birth. It is born, and then the
process is but slightly changed. The child begins to take nourishment either
from the mother's milk or from the milk of the cow, or other forms of food. And
as it grows larger it partakes of many different varieties of food. But always
it obtains building material from the cell life of the plants.
And
this great building up process is intelligent, purposeful, to a wonderful
degree. Man with his boasted intellect cannot explain the real
"thingness" of the process. A leading scientist who placed the egg of
a small lizard under microscopical examination and then watched it slowly
develop has said that it seemed as if some hand was tracing the outlines of the
tiny vertebrae, and then building up around it. Think for a moment of the
development of the germ within the egg of the humming-bird, or the ant, or the
gnat, or the eagle. Every second a change may be noticed. The germ cell draws
to itself nourishment from the other part of the egg, and then it grows and
reproduces another cell. Then both cells divide—then subdivide until there are
millions and millions and millions of cells. And all the while the building up
process continues, and the bird or insect assumes shape and form, until at last
the work is accomplished and the young bird emerges from the egg.
And
the work thus commenced continues until the death of the animal. For there is a
constant using-up and breaking-down of cell and tissue, which the organism must
replace. And so the vegetative mind of the plant, or insect, or animal, or man,
is constantly at work building up new cells from the food, throwing out
worn-out and used-up material from the system. Not only this, but it attends to
the circulation of the blood in order that the materials for the building up may
be carried to all parts of the system. It attends to the digestion and
assimilation of the food—the wonderful work of the organs of the body. It
attends to the healing of wounds, the fight against disease, the care of the
physical body. And all this out of the plane of consciousness—in the infant man
the animal world, the vegetable kingdom—ever at work, untiring, intelligent,
wonderful. And this plane of mind is in man as well as in the plant, and it
does its work without aid from the conscious part of man, although man may
interfere with it by adverse conscious thought, which seems to paralyze its
efforts. Mental Healing is merely the restoring of normal conditions, so that
this part of the body may do its work without the hindrance of adverse
conscious thought.
On
this plane of the mind is found all of the vital functions and operations. The
work is done out-of-consciousness, and the consciousness is aware of this part
of the mind only when it makes demands upon the conscious for food, etc. On
this plane also resides the elementary instinct that tends toward reproduction
and sexual activity. The demand of this part of the mind is always
"increase and multiply," and according to the stage of growth of the
individual is the mandate carried out, as we shall see presently. The
elementary impulses and desires that we find rising into the field of
consciousness come from this plane of the mind. Hunger, thirst and the
reproductive desires are its messages to the higher parts of the mind. And
these messages are natural and free from the abuses and prostitution often
observed attached to them by the intellect of man in connection with his
unrestrained animal impulses. Gluttony and unnatural lust arise not from the
primitive demand of this plane of the mind—for the lower animals even are free
from them to a great extent—but it is reserved for man to so prostitute these
primitive natural tendencies, in order to gratify unnatural and artificial
appetites, which serve to frustrate nature rather than to aid her.
As
Life advanced in the scale and animal forms appeared on the scene new planes of
mind were unfolded, in accordance to the necessity of the living forms. The
animal was compelled to hunt for his food—to prey upon other forms, and to
avoid being preyed upon by others. He was compelled to struggle for the
unfoldment of latent powers of his mind that would give him means to play his
part in the scheme of life. He was compelled to do certain things in order to
live and reproduce his kind. And he demanded not in vain. For there came to him
slowly an unfolding knowledge of the things necessary for the requirements of
his life. We call this Instinct. But, pray remember, by Instinct we do not mean
the still higher something that is really rudimentary Intellect that we notice in
the higher animals. We are speaking now of the unreasoning instinct observed in
the lower animals, and to a certain degree in man. This Instinctive plane of
mentality causes the bird to build its nest before its eggs are laid, which
instructs the animal mother how to care for its young when born, and after
birth; which teaches the bee to construct its cell and to store up its honey.
These and countless other things in animal life, and in the higher form of
plant life, are manifestations of Instinct—that great plane of the mind. In
fact, the greater part of the life of the animal is instinctive although the
higher forms of animals have developed something like rudimentary Intellect or
Reason, which enables them to meet new conditions where Intellect alone fails
them.
And
man has this plane of mind within him, below consciousness. In fact the lower
forms of human life manifest but little Intellect, and live almost altogether
according to their Instinctive impulses and desires.
Every
man has this Instinctive mental region within him and from it are constantly
arising impulses and desires to perplex and annoy him, as well as to serve him
occasionally. The whole secret consists in whether the man has Mastery of his
lower self or not.
From
this plane of the mind arise the hereditary impulses coming down from
generations of ancestors, reaching back to the cavemen, and still further back
into the animal kingdom. A queer storehouse is this. Animal instincts—passions,
appetites, desires, feelings, sensations, emotions, etc., are there. Hate,
envy, jealousy, revenge, the lust of the animal seeking the gratification of
his sexual impulses, etc., etc., are there, and are constantly intruding upon
our attention until we have asserted our mastery. And often the failure to
assert this mastery comes from an ignorance of the nature of the desire, etc.
We have been taught that these thoughts were "bad" without being
told why, and we have feared them and thought them the promptings
of an impure nature, or a depraved mind, etc. This is all wrong. These things
are not "bad" of themselves—they came to us honestly—they are our
heritage from the past. They belong to the animal part of our nature, and were
necessary to the animal in his stage of development. We have the whole menagerie
within us, but that does not mean that we should turn the beasts loose upon
ourselves or others. It was necessary for the animal to be fierce, full of
fight, passionate, regardless of the rights of others, etc., but we have
outgrown that stage of development, and it is ignoble for us to return to it,
or to allow it to master us.
This
lesson is not intended as a discourse upon Ethics or morals. We do not intend
going into a discussion of the details of "Right and Wrong," for we
have touched upon that phase of the subject in other works. But we feel
justified in calling your attention to the fact that the human mind intuitively
recognizes the "Rightness" of the living up to that which comes to us
from the highest parts of the mind—the highest product of our unfoldment. And
it likewise intuitively recognizes the "Wrongness" of the falling
back into that which belongs to the lower stages of our mentality—to the animal
part of us, that is our heritage from the past and that which has gone before.
While
we may be puzzled about many details of morals and ethics and may not be able
to "explain" why we consider certain things right or wrong, we still
intuitively feel that the highest "Right" of which we are capable is
the acting out of that which is coming to us from the highest pole of our
mental being, and that the lowest "Wrong" consists in doing that
which carries us back to the life of the lower animals, in so far as mentality
is concerned. Not because there is anything absolutely "Wrong" in the
mental processes and consequent of the animals in themselves—they are all right
and perfectly natural in the animals—but we intuitively recognize that for us
to fall back to the animal stage is a "going backward" in the scale
of evolution. We intuitively shrink at an exhibition of brutality and animality
on the part of a man or woman. We may not know just why, but a little
reflection will show us that it is a sinking in the evolutionary scale, against
which the spiritual part of us revolts and protests.
But
this must not be construed to mean that the advanced soul looks upon the animal
world with disgust or horror. On the contrary, there is nowhere to be found a
higher respect for animal life and being than among the Yogi and other advanced
souls. They delight in watching the animals filling their places in
life—playing out their parts in the divine scheme of life. Their animal
passions and desires are actions viewed sympathetically and lovingly by the
advanced soul, and nothing "Wrong" or disgusting is seen there. And
even the coarseness and brutality of the savage races are so regarded by these
advanced souls. They see everything as natural according to the grade and
degree of development of these people.
It
is only when these advanced souls view the degeneracies of "civilized"
life that they feel sorrow and pain. For here they see instances of devolution
instead of evolution—degeneration instead of regeneration and advancement. And
not only do they know this to be the fact, but the degenerate specimens of
mankind themselves feel and know it. Compare the expression of the animal or
savage going through their natural life actions and performances. See how free
and natural are their expressions, how utterly apart are evidences of wrong
doing. They have not as yet found out the fatal secret of Good and Evil—they
have not as yet eaten the forbidden fruit. But, on the contrary, look into the
faces of the degenerates and fallen souls of our civilized life. See the
furtive glance and the self-consciousness of "Wrong" evident in every
face. And this consciousness of "Wrong" bears heavily upon these
people—it is heavier than the punishments heaped upon them That nameless
something called "conscience" may be smothered for a while, but
sooner or later it comes to light and demands the pound of flesh from its
victim.
And
yet you will say that it seems hard to think that the same thing can be Right
in one person and Wrong in another. This seems like a hard saying and a
dangerous doctrine, but it is the Truth. And man instinctively recognizes it.
He does not expect the same sense of moral responsibility in a young child, or
in a savage, that he does in a mature, developed, civilized man. He may
restrain the child and the savage, for self-protection and the welfare of all,
but he realizes the distinction, or at least should do so. And not only is this
true, but as man advances in the scale he casts off many ideas of
"Wrong" that he once held, having outgrown the old ideas and having
grown into new conceptions. And the tendency is always upward and onward. The
tendency is constantly from Force and Restraint toward Love and Freedom. The
ideal condition would be one in which there were no laws and no necessity for
them—a condition in which men had ceased to do wrong because they had outgrown
the desire rather than from fear or restraint or force. And while this
condition as yet seems afar off, there is constantly going on an unfoldment of
higher planes and faculties of the mind, which when once fully manifest in the
race will work a complete revolution in ethics and laws and government—and for
the better, of course. In the meantime Mankind moves along, doing the best it
can, making a steady though slow progress.
There
is another plane of the mind which is often called the "Instinct,"
but which is but a part of the plane of the Intellect, although its operations
are largely below the field of consciousness. We allude to what may be called
the "Habit Mind," in order to distinguish it from the Instinctive
Plane. The difference is this: The Instinctive plane of mind is made up of the
ordinary operations of the mind below the plane of the Intellect, and yet above
the plane of the Vegetative mind—and also of the acquired experiences of the
race, which have been transmitted by heredity, etc. But the "Habit Mind"
contains only that which has been placed there by the person himself and which
he has acquired by experience, habit, and observation, repeated so often until
the mind knows it so well that it is carried below the field of consciousness
and becomes "second nature," and akin to Instinct.
The
text books upon psychology are filled with illustrations and examples of the
habit phase or plane of the mental operations, and we do not think it necessary
to repeat instances of the same kind here. Everyone is familiar with the fact
that tasks which at first are learned only by considerable work and time soon
become fixed in some part of the mind until their repetition calls for little
or no exercise of conscious mental operation. In fact, some writers have claimed
that no one really "learns" how to perform a task until he can
perform it almost automatically. The pupil who in the early stages of piano
playing finds it most difficult to control and manage his fingers, after a time
is able to forget all about his fingering and devote his entire attention to
the pages of his music, and after this he is able to apparently let his fingers
play the entire piece of music by themselves without a thought on his part. The
best performers have told us that in the moments of their highest efforts they
are aware that the out-of-conscious portion of their mind is doing the work for
them, and they are practically standing aside and witnessing the work being
done. So true is this that in some cases it is related that if the performer's
conscious mind attempts to take up the work the quality is impaired and the
musician and the audience notice the difference.
The
same thing is true in the case of the woman learning to operate the sewing
machine. It is quite difficult at first, but gradually it grows to "run
itself." Those who have mastered the typewriter have had the same
experience. At first each letter had to be picked out with care and effort.
After a gradual improvement the operator is enabled to devote her entire
attention to the "copy" and let the fingers pick out the keys for
themselves. Many operators learn rapid typewriting by so training the habit
mind that it picks out the letter-keys by reason of their position, the letters
being covered over in order to force the mind to adapt itself to the new
requirements. A similar state of affairs exists wherever men or women have to
use tools of any kind. The tool soon is recognized by the mind and used as if
it were a part of the body, and no more conscious thought is devoted to the manipulation
than we devote to the operation of walking, which, by the way, is learned by
the child only by the expenditure of time and labor. It is astonishing how many
things we do "automatically" in this way. Writers have called our
attention to the fact that the average man cannot consciously inform you how he
puts on his coat in the morning—which arm goes in first, how the coat is held,
etc. But the habit mind knows—knows very well. Let the student stand up and put
on his coat in the regular way, following the leadings of the habit mind. Then,
after removing it, let him attempt to put it on by inserting the other arm
first, for instance. He will be surprised to find out how awkward it will be
for him, and how completely he has been depending upon the habit mind. And
tomorrow morning let him find out which shoe the habit mind has been putting on
him first and then try to reverse the order and notice how flurried and
disturbed the habit mind will become, and how frantically it will signal to the
conscious mind: "Something wrong up there!" Or try to button on your
collar, reversing the order in which the tabs are placed over the button—right
before left, or left before right, as the case may be, and notice the
involuntary protest. Or, try to reverse the customary habit in walking and
attempt to swing your right arm with the movement of your right leg, and so on,
and you will find it will require the exercise of great will power. Or, try to
"change hands" and use your knife and fork. But we must stop giving
examples and illustrations. Their number is countless.
Not
only does the habit mind attend to physical actions, etc., but it also takes a
hand in our mental operations. We soon acquire the habit of ceasing to
consciously consider certain things, and the habit mind takes the matter for
granted, and thereafter we will think automatically on those particular
questions, unless we are shaken out of the habit by a rude jolt from the mind
of someone else, or from the presentation of some conflicting idea occasioned
by our own experience or reasoning processes. And the habit mind hates to be
disturbed and compelled to revise its ideas. It fights against it, and rebels,
and the result is that many of us are slaves to old outgrown ideas that we
realize are false and untrue, but which we find that we "cannot exactly
get rid of." In our future lessons we will give methods to get rid of
these old outgrown ideas.
There
are other planes of mind which have to do with the phenomena known as
"psychic," by which is meant the phases of psychic phenomena known as
clairvoyance, psychometry, telepathy, etc., but we shall not consider them in
this lesson, for they belong to another part of the general subject. We have
spoken of them in a general way in our "Fourteen Lessons in Yogi Philosophy,
etc."
And
now we come to the plane of mind known to us as Intellect or the Reasoning
Faculties. Webster defines the word Intellect as follows: The part or faculty
of the human soul by which it knows, as distinguished from the power to feel
and to will; the thinking faculty; the understanding. The same authority
defines the word Reason as follows: "The faculty or capacity of the human
mind by which it is distinguished from the intelligence of the inferior
animals." We shall not attempt to go into a consideration of the conscious
Intellect, for to do so we would be compelled to take up the space of the
remaining lessons of the course, and besides, the student may find extended
information on this subject in any of the text books on psychology. Instead we will
consider other faculties and planes of mind which the said text books pass by
rapidly, or perhaps deny. And one of these planes is that of Unconscious
Reasoning, or Intellect. To many this term will seem paradoxical, but students
of the unconscious will understand just what is meant.
Reasoning
is not necessarily conscious in its operations, in fact, a greater part of the
reasoning processes are performed below or above the conscious field. In our
last lesson we have given a number of examples proving this fact, but a few
more remarks may not be out of place, nor without interest to the student.
In
our last lesson you will see many instances stated in which the sub-conscious
field of the Intellect worked out problems, and then after a time handed to the
conscious reason the solution of the matter. This has occurred to many of us,
if not indeed to all of us. Who has not endeavored to solve a problem or
question of some sort and after "giving it up" has had it suddenly
answered and flashed into consciousness when least expected. The experience is
common to the race. While the majority of us have noticed these things, we have
regarded them as exceptional and out of the general rule. Not so, however, with
students of the mental planes. The latter have recognized these planes of
reason, and have availed themselves of their knowledge by setting these
unconscious faculties to work for them. In our next lesson we will give
directions to our students regarding this accomplishment, which may prove of
the greatest importance to those who will take the trouble to practice the
directions given. It is a plan that is known to the majority of men who have
"done things" in the world, the majority of them, however, having
discovered the plan for themselves as the result of a need or demand upon the
inner powers of mind.
The
plane of mind immediately above that of Intellect is that known as Intuition.
Intuition is defined by Webster as follows: "Direct apprehension or
cognition; immediate knowledge, as in perception or consciousness, involving no
reasoning process; quick or ready insight or apprehension." It is
difficult to explain just what is meant by Intuition, except to those who have
experienced it—and these people do not need the explanation. Intuition is just
as real a mental faculty as is Intellect—or, to be more exact, is just as much
a collection of mental faculties. Intuition is above the field of
consciousness, and its messages are passed downward, though its processes are
hidden. The race is gradually unfolding into the plane of Intuition, and the
race will some day pass into full consciousness on that plane. In the meantime
it gets but flashes and glimpses from the hidden region. Many of the best
things we have come from that region. Art, music, the love of the beautiful and
good poetry, the higher form of love, spiritual insight to a certain degree,
intuitive perception of truth, etc., etc., come from this region. These things
are not reasoned out by the intellect, but seem to spring full born from some
unknown region of the mind.
In
this wonderful region dwells Genius. Many, if not all of the great writers,
poets, musicians, artists and other examples of genius have felt that their
power came to them from some higher source. Many have thought that it emanated
from some being kindly to them, who would inspire them with power and wisdom.
Some transcendent power seemed to have been called into operation, and the
worker would feel that his product or creation was not his handiwork, but that
of some outside intelligence. The Greeks recognized this something in man, and
called it man's "Daemon." Plutarch in his discourse on the daemon
that guided Socrates speaks of the vision of Timarchus, who, in the case of
Trophonius, saw spirits which were partly attached to human bodies, and partly
over and above them, shining luminously over their heads. He was informed by
the oracle that the part of the spirit which was immersed in the body was
called the "soul," but that the outer and unimmersed portion was
called the "daemon." The oracle also informed him that every man had
his daemon, whom he is bound to obey; those who implicitly follow that guidance
are the prophetic souls, the favorites of the gods. Goethe also spoke of the
daemon as a power higher than the will, and which inspired certain natures with
miraculous energy.
We
may smile at these conceptions, but they are really very close to the truth.
The higher regions of the mind, while belonging to the individual, and a part
of himself, are so far above his ordinary consciousness that to all intents and
purposes messages from them are as orders from another and higher soul. But
still the voice is that of the "I," speaking through its sheaths as
best it is able.
This
power belongs to every one of us, although it manifests only in the degree that
we are able to respond to it. It grows by faith and confidence, and closes
itself up, and withdraws into its recesses when we doubt it and would question
its veracity and reality. What we call "originality" comes from this
region. The Intuitive faculties pass on to the conscious mind some perception
of truth higher than the Intellect has been able to work out for itself, and
lo! it is called the work of genius.
The
advanced occultist knows that in the higher regions of the mind are locked up intuitive
perceptions of all truth, and that he who can gain access to these regions will
know everything intuitively, and as a matter of clear sight, without reasoning
or explanation. The race has not as yet reached the heights of Intuition—it is
just beginning to climb the foothills. But it is moving in the right direction.
It will be well for us if we will open ourselves to the higher inner guidance,
and be willing to be "led by the Spirit." This is a far different
thing from being led by outside intelligence, which may, or may not, be
qualified to lead. But the Spirit within each of us has our interests at heart
and is desirous of our best good, and is not only ready but willing to take us
by the hand and lead us on. The Higher Self is doing the best it can for our
development and welfare, but is hampered by the confining sheaths. And alas,
many of us glory in these sheaths and consider them the highest part of
ourselves. Do not be afraid to let the light of the Spirit pierce through these
confining sheaths and dissolve them. The Intuition, however, is not the Spirit,
but is one of its channels of communication to us. There are other and still
higher planes of mind, but the Intuition is the one next in the line of
unfoldment, and we should open ourselves to its influence and welcome its
unfoldment.
Above
the plane of Intuition is that of the Cosmic Knowing, upon which we will find
the consciousness of the Oneness of All. We have spoken of this plane in our
lesson on the Unfoldment of Consciousness. When one is able to
"conscious" on this plane—this exalted plane of mind—he is able to
see fully, plainly and completely that there is One Great Life underlying all
the countless forms and shapes of manifestation. He is able to see that
separateness is only "the working fiction of the Universe." He is
able to see that each Ego is but a Centre of Consciousness in the great Ocean
of Life—all in pursuance of the Divine Plan, and that he is moving forward
toward higher and higher planes of manifestation, power and individuality, in
order to take a greater and grander part in the Universal work and plans.
The
Cosmic Knowing in its fulness has come to but few of the race, but many have
had glimpses, more or less clear, of its transcendent wonder, and others are on
the borderland of this plane. The race is unfolding gradually, slowly but
surely, and those who have had this wonderful experience are preparing others
for a like experience. The seed is being sown, and the harvest will come later.
This and other phases of the higher forms of consciousness are before the race.
The individuals who read this lesson are perhaps nearer to it than they think;
their interest in the lessons is an indication of that hunger of the soul which
is a prophecy of the satisfaction of the cry for spiritual bread. The Law of
Life heeds these cries for aid and nourishment and responds accordingly, but
along the lines of the highest wisdom and according to the real
requirements of the individual.
Let
us close this lesson with a quotation from "Light on the Path," which
bears directly upon the concluding thought. Read it carefully and let it sink
down deep into your inner consciousness, and you will feel the thrill of joy
that comes to him who is nearing the goal.
"Look
for the flower to bloom in the silence that follows the storm; not till then.
"It
shall grow, it will shoot up, it will make branches and leaves, and form buds
while the storm lasts. But not until the entire personality of the man is
dissolved and melted—not until it is held by the divine fragment which has
created it, as a mere subject for grave experiment and experience—not until the
whole nature has yielded and become subject unto its higher self, can the bloom
open. Then will come a calm such as comes in a tropical country after the heavy
rain, when nature works so swiftly that one may see her action. Such a calm
will come to the harassed spirit. And in the deep silence the mysterious event
will occur which will prove that the way has been found. Call it by whatever
name you will. It is a voice that speaks where there is none to speak, it is a
messenger that comes—a messenger without form or substance—or it is the flower
of the soul that has opened. It cannot be described by any metaphor. But it can
be felt after, looked for, and desired, even among the raging of the storm. The
silence may last a moment of time, or it may last a thousand years. But it will
end. Yet you will carry its strength with you. Again and again the battle must
be fought and won. It is only for an interval that nature can be still."
* *
* * *
The
concluding three lessons of this series will be devoted to a practical course
of instruction in the development of the hidden planes of the mind, or rather,
in the development of the power of the individual to master the same and make
use of them in his life. He will be taught to master the lower principles, not
only in the surmounting of them, but in the transmitting of the elemental
forces toward his higher ends. Power may be obtained from this part of the
mind, under the direction of the Will. And the student will be told how to set
the unconscious Intellect to work for him. And he will be told how to develop
and train the Will. We have now passed the line between the theoretical and the
practical phases of the subject, and from now on it will be a case of train,
develop, cultivate and apply. Knowing what lies back of it all, the student is
now prepared to receive the instructions which he might have misused before.
Peace be with thee all.
MANTRAM (AFFIRMATION).
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