THE ARCANE FORMULAS/PART 2

 

LESSON 2.

ESTABLISHING THE EGO (I)

To "establish" is "to settle or fix firmly; to make steady, firm, or stable; to place upon a firm foundation; to ordain permanently and with authority;" etc. Therefore is this Formula --- one of the oldest known to Occultism ---called establishing the Ego. Its mastery imparts the sense and power of firm settlement and steady foundation of the consciousness of the Ego --- the identification of the self with the Self.

The Arcane Teachers instruct the Neophyte that he must first of all develop this awareness of the Ego, by degree, until at last the Ego-Consciousness may become the habitual and natural consciousness, at all times and under all conditions. Once firmly fixed, the Ego-Consciousness never leaves one.

Once found, it becomes a Tower of Strength in which one may ever take refuge from the trials of the personal life --- and from which one may safely defy the things of personality.

The first step of the Formula is that of acquiring a clear, distinct, positive and absolute realization that the Ego is not the body or physical organism, but is superior to and master of them. Even those students who have entered the plane of Mental Consciousness require additional drilling in order to escape completely and fully from the bonds of the physical body. The following exercise is recommended for this purpose:

 

EXERCISE.

Let the Neophyte place himself in a quiet place, away from the disturbances and distracting influences of the outside world. Let him assume a position of rest, relaxing the tension from muscles and nerves. Then, let him fix his attention upon his physical body; first the body as a whole, and then beginning at the feet let him move the attention upward until the whole body has been included in attention, step by step, until the brain is reached.

During this process the Neophyte will become aware, by degrees, that he is a Something inside of the body, viewing and considering the latter in all of its details, instead of being identical with the body. There will be found a dawning realization that the body is but the physical envelope or sheath in which the Ego dwells --- or a garment which the Ego has assumed for the conveniences of physical life. This realization will not come all at once, but will gradually dawn upon and in the consciousness, increasing by practice.

When a degree of proficiency and realization of this stage has been acquired, then may the Neophyte proceed to the next stage, as follows:

Let the Neophyte now concentrate his attention upon his feet, until he is able to regard them as but tools or instruments whereby the Ego may walk in physical form. Then let him, using his imagination, realize that even if his feet were not there, attached to the body, the Ego would still be fully existent and in being --- that, although deprived of useful tools, the Ego would still be the Ego, unimpaired and undisturbed in its real being.

Then bring the entire lower limbs into attention, and after fixing them firmly in consciousness, let the Neophyte realize that these limbs are but instruments for physical progress --- useful and important, but not indispensable to the being and reality of the Ego. Let him see that if these limbs were not there that the Ego would still be, complete and fully existent.

Then, let the Neophyte bring into attention the pelvic organs (the reproductive organism, etc.) and, after realizing their uses and purposes ---important to physical life --- let him realize that the integrity and being of the Ego is in no way dependent upon them. Let him, in imagination, separate himself from them in consciousness, and thus realize that even if that part of the body were removed, and missing, nevertheless the Ego would be fully existent in its entirety of being.

Then let the Neophyte, in a similar manner, consider the abdominal organs --- the stomach, liver, etc. --- and while realizing their value and utility in physical life, let him also realize that they, too, are but physical instruments of the Ego for certain purposes, and that the Ego would dwell unimpaired in being, existence and reality, were they absent.

Then let the Neophyte likewise consider the chest organs, the lungs, etc., and while respecting and realizing their usefulness and wonderful adaptability to purpose, also realize that the Ego would be full existent and real even if these organs or parts of the body were absent.

Then let the Neophyte pass on to the consideration of the head, with its various organs of sense; its brain centers and convolutions --- the machinery of thought, and then realize that although it would be impossible to live as a physical being in the body without these organs, still if they were absent the Ego would still be the Ego --- complete, existent, in reality, with integrity unimpaired.

Then let the Neophyte again consider the whole body, as one organism ---the wonderful instrument of the Ego, adapted for physical life. But let him fully realize that this wonderful machinery is but a created machine in and through which the Ego manifests physical life and activity. And, that the Ego is above, independent of and apart from the physical body, in the true sense --- for it may dwell apart from, and out of the body.

After performing these mental exercises, throw the mind into and over the entire body and into and through all of its parts --- the purpose of this concluding process being to re-energize the physical organism which has, in a measure, become devitalized during the analytical process. You will find that you will be able to re-charge the body with vitality and make it stronger and more virile than it was before the exercise, after you once realized that it is but an instrument, or machine, which is used by and directed by the Ego.

The realization of the Mastery of the Body by the Ego brings with it a new power of energizing and vitalizing the body or any part thereof. Throwing the attention to parts of the body, after this realization has been gained, tends to direct to the particular parts an increased supply of Vril or Vital Energy.

After having mastered the above exercise to a satisfactory degree, let the Neophyte pass on to the following exercise:

 

EXERCISE.

Let the Neophyte, in imagination, leave the physical body and gaze upon the latter. A little mental practice will enable one to do this in imagination, thus bringing fully to the mind the realization that it is possible for the Ego to leave the body and dwell apart from it. When the mind has once grasped this possibility, the body will ever after be recognized as merely a physical machine, sheath or covering, of the Ego --- and one will never again commit the folly of identifying the "I" with the physical body.

To those who may object that this is merely an exercise of the imagination, proving nothing, for the reason that "one may imagine anything," we suggest the trial of the old Occult Test whereby the Neophyte was instructed to try to imagine himself as dead. A trial will show that this is impossible --- all that can be imagined in this direction is that the physical body is dead, while the soul either (1) stands apart, fully alive, viewing the body; or else (2) inhabits the dead body --- in either case it being the physical body alone which is dead, the Ego being always alive. Then let the Neophyte imagine himself as leaving behind his physical body, until, as Holmes says: ". . . Thou at length are free, leaving thine outgrown shell by life's un-resting sea." Let him then imagine himself as occupying other and different bodies, one at a time, in different phases of life and condition, in different ages, etc. This will bring about a realization that the Ego is something higher and independent of the particular physical shell or machine that it is now using, and which it may have at one time considered identical with itself. Then will the particular body occupied seem, in reality, "my body," instead of "I," or "Me."

The Neophyte is cautioned against learning to despise his body when he realizes that it is not his "self." The body is to be respected and well cared for, for it is a necessary instrument for expression at this period of the evolution of the Ego. Do not make the mistake of so many who have grasped half-truths, and who despise their bodies. This is a great mistake, and we would warn all Neophytes against it. The physical body is the bridge which is carrying you over a wild stream --- do not undervalue it --- treat it well, with loving regard and care. The physical body is the Temple of the Spirit --- make it a worthy one. Keep it clean and in good condition. Let it be a worthy dwelling place of the Most High.

NEXT CHAPTER 

Establishing The Ego (II)