THOUGHT VIBRATION/PART 4

 

CHAPTER 4.

MIND BUILDING

Man can  build up  his mind  and make  it  what  he  wills.  In fact,  we  are mind-building every hour of our lives,  either  consciously or unconsciously. The majority of us are doing the work  unconsciously,  but those who have seen  a  little  below  the surface of  things  have taken  the matter  in  hand  and  have become conscious  creators  of  their  own mentality.  They are  no longer  subject  to the suggestions  and  influences of  others  but  have  become  masters  of  themselves.  They assert  the  "I," and  compel obedience from the subordinate mental  faculties.  The  "I"  is the sovereign  of  the mind,  and  what  we call  will  is  the instrument  of  the "I."  Of  course,  there is  something back  of  this,  and the  Universal  Will is higher  than  the  Will of  the Individual,  but  the latter  is  in  much closer touch with the Universal Will than is generally supposed, and when one conquers  the lower  self,  and  asserts  the "I,"  he becomes  in  close touch with  the  Universal  Will  and  partakes largely  of its wonderful power.  The moment one asserts  the "I,"  and  "finds  himself"  he establishes  a  close connection  between  the Individual  Will  and  the  Universal  Will.  But before he  is  able to  avail  himself  of  the mighty  power  at  his  command,  he must  first  effect  the  Mastery  of the  lower  self.

Think  of  the absurdity of  Man  claiming to manifest  powers,  when  he is the slave  of  the lower  parts  of  his  mental  being,  which should  be subordinate. Think of  a  man  being the slave of  his  moods,  passions, animal appetites  and  lower  faculties,  and  at  the  same  time trying  to claim  the  benefits of the  Will.  Now,  I am  not  preaching  asceticism,  which seems  to  me to  be  a  confession  of  weakness.  I  am  speaking of  Self-Mastery—the assertion  of  the "I"  over  the subordinate  parts  of  oneself.  In the higher  view  of  the subject,  this  "I"  is  the only  real  Self,  and the rest is the non-self; but  our  space  does not  permit  the  discussion of this  point, and  we will use the word  "self"  as  meaning the entire  man.  Before a man can  assert  the "I"  in  its  full  strength he must  obtain  the complete  mastery of  the subordinate  parts  of  the self.  All  things  are good  when  we learn  to master  them,  but  no thing is  good  when  it  masters  us.  Just  so long as  we allow the  lower  portions of the  self to  give  us orders,  we  are  slaves.  It  is only when  the "I"  mounts  his  throne  and  lifts  the sceptre,  that  order  is established  and  things  assume their  proper relation  to  each other.

We are finding no fault  with  those who are swayed  by their lower selves—  they are in  a  lower  grade of  evolution,  and  will work  up  in  time. But  we are calling the attention  of  those who are  ready,  to  the fact  that the Sovereign  must  assert  his  will,  and  that "the subjects  must  obey. Orders  must  be  given  and  carried  out.  Rebellion  must  be  put  down,  and the “rightful"  authority  insisted  upon.  And  the  time to do  it  is  Now.

You  have  been  allowing your  rebellious  subjects  to keep  the King  from his throne. You have been allowing the mental kingdom to be misgoverned  by irresponsible faculties. You have been the slaves  of Appetite,  Unworthy  Thoughts,  Passion  and  Negativeness.  The Will  has been  set  aside and  Low  Desire has  usurped  the throne.  It  is  time to reestablish order  in  the mental  kingdom.

You  are  able  to  assert  the  mastery over  any emotion,  appetite,  passion  or class  of  thoughts  by  the assertion  of  the Will.  You  can  order  Fear to  go to the rear;  Jealousy  to leave your  presence;  Hate  to depart  from  your sight; Anger to hide itself; Worry to cease troubling you;  Uncontrolled  Appetite and  Passion  to bow  in  submission  and  to  become humble  slaves instead of masters—all by the assertion of the "I". You may  surround  yourself with  the glorious  company of  Courage,  Love and  Self-Control,  by  the same  means.  You  may  put  down  the  rebellion  and  secure peace and order  in  your  mental kingdom  if  you  will  but  utter the  mandate and insist  upon  its  execution.  Before you  march forth to empire,  you  must establish  the  proper internal  conditions—must  show your ability  to govern  your  own  kingdom.  The first  battle is  the conquest  of  the lesser self by  the  Real  Self.

 

Affirmation.

I  Am  Asserting  the Mastery  of  My  Real  Self.

Repeat  these words  earnestly  and  positively  during the day,  at  least  once an hour,  and  particularly  when  you  are confronted  with  conditions which tempt  you  to  act  on  the lines  of  the lesser  self  instead  of  following  the course dictated  by  the Real  Self.  In  the moment  of  doubt  and  hesitation, say  these  words earnestly,  and your  way will  be  made  clear to you. Repeat them several times after you retire  and  settle yourself  to sleep. But  be sure to  back  up  the words  with  the thought  inspiring them, and do not  merely  repeat  them parrot-like. Form the mental  image of  the Real Self  asserting  its  mastery over  the  lower  planes of your  mind—see the King  on  his  Throne.  You  will  become conscious  of  an  influx  of  new thought,  and  things  which have seemed  hard  for  you  will suddenly become  much easier.  You  will feel that  you  have  yourself well in hand, and  that  You  are  the master and  not  the slave. The thought  you  are holding  will  manifest  itself in action,  and you  will  steadily  grow to become that  which  you  have in  mind.

 

Exercise. Fix  the mind  firmly on  the higher  Self  and  draw  inspiration  from  it  when you  feel led  to yield  to the  promptings  of  the lower  part  of  your  nature. When you  are tempted  to  burst  into  Anger—assert  the  "I,"  and your  voice will drop.  Anger  is  unworthy  of  the developed  Self.  When  you  feel vexed and  cross,  remember  what  you  are,  and  rise  above your  feeling.  When you  feel Fearful,  remember  that  the Real Self  fears nothing, and  assert Courage.  When  you  feel  Jealousy inciting,  think  of  your  higher  nature, and  laugh.  And  so on,  asserting the Real Self  and  not  allowing the things on  the lower  plane  of  mentality  to disturb  you.  They are  unworthy  of  you, and  must  be taught  to keep  their  places.  Do not  allow  these things  to master you—they  should be  your  subjects,  not  your  masters.  You  must get  away  from  this  plane,  and  the only way  to do so is  to  cut  loose from these phases  of  thought  which have been  "running things"  to suit themselves.  You  may  have  trouble at  the start,  but  keep  at  it  and  you  will have that  satisfaction  which comes  only from  conquering the lower  parts of  our  nature.  You  have been  a  slave long enough—now  is  the time  to free yourselves.  If you  will  follow these  exercises faithfully  you  will be  a different  being by  the end  of  the year,  and  will look  back  with  a  pitying smile  to  your  former  condition.  But  it  takes work.  This is  not  child's play, but  a task  for  earnest  men  and women.  Will  you  make  the  effort?