← catalogue

A Series of Lessons in Gnani Yoga: The Yoga of Wisdom

by William Walker Atkinson · English · Gutenberg #13407 · 460,686 chars · public domain (US)

The Project Gutenberg eBook of A Series of Lessons in Gnani Yoga: The Yoga of Wisdom
    
This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and
most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions
whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms
of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online
at www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States,
you will have to check the laws of the country where you are located
before using this eBook.

Title: A Series of Lessons in Gnani Yoga: The Yoga of Wisdom

Author: William Walker Atkinson


        
Release date: September 9, 2004 [eBook #13407]
                Most recently updated: October 28, 2024

Language: English

Other information and formats: www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/13407

Credits: Produced by Rose Koven, Juliet Sutherland, Keith M. Eckrich and the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreaders Team


*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A SERIES OF LESSONS IN GNANI YOGA: THE YOGA OF WISDOM ***

A SERIES OF

Lessons in Gnani Yoga (The Yoga of Wisdom.)

BY YOGI RAMACHARAKA.


THIS BOOK GIVES THE HIGHEST YOGI TEACHINGS REGARDING THE ABSOLUTE AND
ITS MANIFESTATIONS.




INDEX.


LESSON                                   PAGE

   I.  The One                              1

  II.  Omnipresent Life                    27

 III.  The Creative Will                   51

  IV.  The Unity of Life                   75

   V.  The One and the Many               101

  VI.  Within the Mind of the One         127

 VII.  Cosmic Evolution                   153
VIII.  The Ascent of Man                  177

  IX.  Metempsychosis                     203

   X.  Spiritual Evolution                229

  XI.  The Law of Karma                   253

 XII.  Occult Miscellany                  277




THE FIRST LESSON


THE ONE.

The Yogi Philosophy may be divided into several great branches, or
fields. What is known as "Hatha Yoga" deals with the physical body and
its control; its welfare; its health; its preservation; its laws, etc.
What is known as "Raja Yoga" deals with the Mind; its control; its
development; its unfoldment, etc. What is known as "Bhakti Yoga" deals
with the Love of the Absolute--God. What is known as "Gnani Yoga" deals
with the scientific and intellectual knowing of the great questions
regarding Life and what lies back of Life--the Riddle of the Universe.

Each branch of Yoga is but a path leading toward the one
end--unfoldment, development, and growth. He who wishes first to
develop, control and strengthen his physical body so as to render it a
fit instrument of the Higher Self, follows the path of "Hatha Yoga." He
who would develop his will-power and mental faculties, unfolding the
inner senses, and latent powers, follows the path of "Raja Yoga." He
who wishes to develop by "knowing"--by studying the fundamental
principles, and the wonderful truths underlying Life, follows the path
of "Gnani Yoga." And he who wishes to grow into a union with the One
Life by the influence of Love, he follows the path of "Bhakti Yoga."

But it must not be supposed that the student must ally himself to only
a single one of these paths to power. In fact, very few do. The
majority prefer to gain a rounded knowledge, and acquaint themselves
with the principles of the several branches, learning something of
each, giving preference of course to those branches that appeal to them
more strongly, this attraction being the indication of _need_, or
requirement, and, therefore, being the hand pointing out the path.

It is well for every one to know something of "Hatha Yoga," in order
that the body may be purified, strengthened, and kept in health in
order to become a more fitting instrument of the Higher Self. It is
well that each one should know something of "Raja Yoga," that he may
understand the training and control of the mind, and the use of the
Will. It is well that every one should learn the wisdom of "Gnani
Yoga," that he may realize the wonderful truths underlying life--the
science of Being. And, most assuredly every one should know something
of Bhakti Yogi, that he may understand the great teachings regarding
the Love underlying all life.

We have written a work on "Hatha Yoga," and a course on "Raja Yoga"
which is now in book form. We have told you something regarding "Gnani
Yoga" in our Fourteen Lessons, and also in our Advanced Course. We have
written something regarding "Bhakti Yoga" in our Advanced Course, and,
we hope, have taught it also all through our other lessons, for we fail
to see how one can teach or study any of the branches of Yoga without
being filled with a sense of Love and Union with the Source of all
Life. To know the Giver of Life, is to love him, and the more we know
of him, the more love will we manifest.

In this course of lessons, of which this is the first, we shall take up
the subject of "Gnani Yoga"--the Yoga of Wisdom, and will endeavor to
make plain some of its most important and highest teachings. And, we
trust that in so doing, we shall be able to awaken in you a still
higher realization of your relationship with the One, and a
corresponding Love for that in which you live, and move and have your
being. We ask for your loving sympathy and cooperation in our task.

Let us begin by a consideration of what has been called the "Questions
of Questions"--the question: "What is Reality?" To understand the
question we have but to take a look around us and view the visible
world. We see great masses of something that science has called
"matter." We see in operation a wonderful something called "force" or
"energy" in its countless forms of manifestations. We see things that
we call "forms of life," varying in manifestation from the tiny speck
of slime that we call the Moneron, up to that form that we call Man.

But study this world of manifestations by means of science and
research--and such study is of greatest value--still we must find
ourselves brought to a point where we cannot progress further. Matter
melts into mystery--Force resolves itself into something else--the
secret of living-forms subtly elude us--and mind is seen as but the
manifestation of something even finer. But in losing these things of
appearance and manifestation, we find ourselves brought up face to face
with a Something Else that we see must underlie all these varying
forms, shapes and manifestations. And that Something Else, we call
Reality, because it is Real, Permanent, Enduring. And although men may
differ, dispute, wrangle, and quarrel about this Reality, still there
is one point upon which they must agree, and that is that _Reality is
One_--that underlying all forms and manifestations there must be a
_One_ Reality from which all things flow. And this inquiry into this
One Reality is indeed the Question of Questions of the Universe.

The highest reason of Man--as well as his deepest intuition--has always
recognized that this Reality or Underlying Being must be but ONE, of
which all Nature is but varying degrees of manifestation, emanation, or
expression. All have recognized that Life is a stream flowing from One
great fount, the nature and name of which is unknown--some have said
unknowable. Differ as men do about theories regarding the nature of
this one, they all agree that it can be but One. It is only when men
begin to name and analyze this One, that confusion results.

Let us see what men have thought and said about this One--it _may_ help
us to understand the nature of the problem.

The materialist claims that this one is a something called
Matter--self-existent--eternal--infinite--containing within itself the
potentiality of Matter, Energy and Mind. Another school, closely allied
to the materialists, claim that this One is a something called Energy,
of which Matter and Mind are but modes of motion. The Idealists claim
that the One is a something called Mind, and that Matter and Force are
but ideas in that One Mind. Theologians claim that this One is a
something called a personal God, to whom they attribute certain
qualities, characteristics, etc., the same varying with their creeds
and dogmas. The Naturistic school claims that this One is a something
called Nature, which is constantly manifesting itself in countless
forms. The occultists, in their varying schools, Oriental and
Occidental, have taught that the One was a Being whose Life constituted
the life of all living forms.

All philosophies, all science, all religions, inform us that this world
of shapes, forms and names is but a phenomenal or shadow world--a
show-world--back of which rests Reality, called by some name of the
teacher. But remember this, _all philosophy that counts_ is based upon
some form of monism--Oneness--whether the concept be a known or unknown
god; an unknown or unknowable principle; a substance; an Energy, or
Spirit. There is but One--there can be but One--such is the inevitable
conclusion of the highest human reason, intuition or faith.

And, likewise, the same reason informs us that this One Life must
permeate all apparent forms of life, and that all apparent material
forms, forces, energies, and principles must be emanations from that
One, and, consequently "of" it. It may be objected to, that the creeds
teaching a personal god do not so hold, for they teach that their God
is the creator of the Universe, which he has set aside from himself as
a workman sets aside his workmanship. But this objection avails naught,
for where could such a creator obtain the material for his universe,
except from himself; and where the energy, except from the same source;
and where the Life, unless from his One Life. So in the end, it is seen
that there must be but One--not two, even if we prefer the terms God
_and_ his Universe, for even in this case the Universe must have
proceeded from God, and can only live, and move and act, and think, by
virtue of his Essence permeating it.

In passing by the conceptions of the various thinkers, we are struck by
the fact that the various schools seem to manifest a one-sidedness in
their theories, seeing only that which fits in with their theories, and
ignoring the rest. The Materialist talks about Infinite and Eternal
Matter, although the latest scientific investigations have shown us
Matter fading into Nothingness--the Eternal Atom being split into
countless particles called Corpuscles or Electrons, which at the last
seem to be nothing but a unit of Electricity, tied up in a "knot in the
Ether"--although just what the Ether is, Science does not dare to
guess. And Energy, also seems to be unthinkable except as operating
through matter, and always seems to be acting under the operation of
Laws--and Laws without a Law giver, and a Law giver without mind or
something higher than Mind, is unthinkable. And Mind, as we know it,
seems to be bound up with matter and energy in a wonderful combination,
and is seen to be subject to laws outside of itself, and to be varying,
inconstant, and changeable, which attributes cannot be conceived of as
belonging to the Absolute. Mind as we know it, as well as Matter and
Energy, is held by the highest occult teachers to be but an appearance
and a relativity of something far more fundamental and enduring, and we
are compelled to fall back upon that old term which wise men have used
in order to describe that Something Else that lies back of, and under,
Matter, Energy and Mind--and that word is "Spirit."

We cannot tell just what is meant by the word "Spirit," for we have
nothing with which to describe it. But we can think of it as meaning
the "essence" of Life and Being--the Reality underlying Universal Life.

Of course no name can be given to this One, that will fitly describe
it. But we have used the term "The Absolute" in our previous lessons,
and consider it advisable to continue its use, although the student may
substitute any other name that appeals to him more strongly. We do not
use the word God (except occasionally in order to bring out a shade of
meaning) not because we object to it, but because by doing so we would
run the risk of identifying The Absolute with some idea of a personal
god with certain theological attributes. Nor does the word "Principle"
appeal to us, for it seems to imply a cold, unfeeling, abstract thing,
while we conceive the Absolute Spirit or Being to be a warm, vital,
living, acting, feeling Reality. We do not use the word Nature, which
many prefer, because of its materialistic meaning to the minds of many,
although the word is very dear to us when referring to the outward
manifestation of the Absolute Life.

Of the real nature of The Absolute, of course, we can know practically
nothing, because it transcends all human experience and Man has nothing
with which he can measure the Infinite. Spinoza was right when he said
that "to define God is to deny him," for any attempt to define, is, of
course an attempt to limit or make finite the Infinite. To define a
thing is to identify it with something else--and where is the something
else with which to identify the Infinite? The Absolute cannot be
described in terms of the Relative. It is not Something, although it
contains within itself the reality underlying Everything. It cannot be
said to have the qualities of any of its apparently separated parts,
for it is the ALL. It is all that really IS.

It is beyond Matter, Force, or Mind as we know it, and yet these things
emanate from it, and must be within its nature. For what is in the
manifested must be in the manifestor--no stream can rise higher than
its source--the effect cannot be greater than the cause--you cannot get
something out of nothing.

But it is hard for the human mind to take hold of That which is beyond
its experience--many philosophers consider it impossible--and so we
must think of the Absolute in the concepts and terms of its highest
manifestation. We find Mind higher in the scale than Matter or Energy,
and so we are justified in using the terms of Mind in speaking of the
Absolute, rather than the terms of Matter or Energy--so let us try to
think of an Infinite Mind, whose powers and capacities are raised to an
infinite degree--a Mind of which Herbert Spencer said that it was "a
mode of being as much transcending intelligence and will, as these
transcend mere mechanical motion."

While it is true (as all occultists know) that the best information
regarding the Absolute come from regions of the Self higher than
Intellect, yet we are in duty bound to examine the reports of the
Intellect concerning its information regarding the One. The Intellect
has been developed in us for use--for the purpose of examining,
considering, thinking--and it behooves us to employ it. By turning it
to this purpose, we not only strengthen and unfold it, but we also get
certain information that can reach us by no other channel. And
moreover, by such use of the Intellect we are able to discover many
fallacies and errors that have crept into our minds from the opinions
and dogmas of others--as Kant said: "The chief, and perhaps the only,
use of a philosophy of pure reason is a negative one. It is not an
organon for extending, but a discipline for limiting! Instead of
discovering truth, its modest function is to guard against error." Let
us then listen to the report of the Intellect, as well as of the higher
fields of mentation.

One of the first reports of the Intellect, concerning the Absolute, is
that it must have existed forever, and must continue to exist forever.
There is no escape from this conclusion, whether one view the matter
from the viewpoint of the materialist, philosopher, occultist, or
theologian. The Absolute could not have sprung from Nothing, and there
was no other cause outside of itself from which it could have emanated.
And there can be no cause outside of itself which can terminate its
being. And we cannot conceive of Infinite Life, or Absolute Life,
dying. So the Absolute must be Eternal--such is the report of the
Intellect.

This idea of the Eternal is practically unthinkable to the human mind,
although it is forced to believe that it must be a quality of the
Absolute. The trouble arises from the fact that the Intellect is
compelled to see everything through the veil of Time, and Cause and
Effect. Now, Cause and Effect, and Time, are merely phenomena or
appearances of the relative world, and have no place in the Absolute
and Real. Let us see if we can understand this.

Reflection will show you that the only reason that you are unable to
think of or picture a Causeless Cause, is because everything that you
have experienced in this relative world of the senses has had a
cause--something from which it sprung. You have seen Cause and Effect
in full operation all about you, and quite naturally your Intellect has
taken it for granted that there can be nothing uncaused--nothing
without a preceding cause. And the Intellect is perfectly right, so far
as Things are concerned, for all Things are relative and are therefore
caused. But back of the caused things must lie THAT which is the Great
Causer of Things, and which, not being a Thing itself, cannot have been
caused--cannot be the effect of a cause. Your minds reel when you try
to form a mental image of That which has had no cause, because you have
had no experience in the sense world of such a thing, and there fail to
form the image. It is out of your experience, and you cannot form the
mental picture. But yet your mind is compelled to believe that there
must have been an Original One, that can have had no cause. This is a
hard task for the Intellect, but in time it comes to see just where the
trouble lies, and ceases to interpose objections to the voice of the
higher regions of the self.

And, the Intellect experiences a similar difficulty when it tries to
think of an Eternal--a That which is above and outside of Time. We see
Time in operation everywhere, and take it for granted that Time is a
reality--an actual thing. But this is a mistake of the senses. There is
no such thing as Time, in reality. Time exists solely in our minds. It
is merely a form of perception by which we express our consciousness of
the Change in Things.

We cannot think of Time except in connection with a succession of
changes of things in our consciousness--either things of the outer
world, or the passing of thought-things through our mind. A day is
merely the consciousness of the passing of the sun--an hour or minute
merely the subdivision of the day, or else the consciousness of the
movement of the hands of the clock--merely the consciousness of the
movement of Things--the symbols of changes in Things. In a world
without changes in Things, there would be no such thing as Time. Time
is but a mental invention. Such is the report of the Intellect.

And, besides the conclusions of pure abstract reasoning about Time, we
may see many instances of the relativity of Time in our everyday
experiences. We all know that when we are interested Time seems to pass
rapidly, and when we are bored it drags along in a shameful manner. We
know that when we are happy, Time develops the speed of a meteor, while
when we are unhappy it crawls like a tortoise. When we are interested
or happy our attention is largely diverted from the changes occurring
in things--because we do not notice the Things so closely. And while we
are miserable or bored, we notice the details in Things, and their
changes, until the length of time seems interminable. A tiny insect
mite may, and does, live a lifetime of birth, growth, marriage,
reproduction, old age, and death, in a few minutes, and no doubt its
life seems as full as does that of the elephant with his hundred years.
Why? _Because so many things haze happened!_ When we are conscious of
many things happening, we get the impression and sensation of the
length of time. The greater the consciousness of things, the greater
the sensation of Time. When we are so interested in talking to a loved
one that we forget all that is occurring about us, then the hours fly
by unheeded, while the same hours seem like days to one in the same
place who is not interested or occupied with some task.

Men have nodded, and in the second before awakening they have dreamed
of events that seemed to have required the passage of years. Many of
you have had experiences of this kind, and many such cases have been
recorded by science. On the other hand, one may fall asleep and remain
unconscious, but without dreams, for hours, and upon awakening will
insist that he has merely nodded. Time belongs to the relative mind,
and has no place in the Eternal or Absolute.

Next, the Intellect informs us that it must think of the Absolute as
Infinite in Space--present everywhere--Omnipresent. It cannot be
limited, for there is nothing outside of itself to limit it. There is
no such place as Nowhere. Every place is in the Everywhere. And
Everywhere is filled with the All--the Infinite Reality--the Absolute.

And, just as was the case with the idea of Time, we find it most
difficult--if not indeed impossible--to form an idea of an
Omnipresent--of That which occupies Infinite Space. This because
everything that our minds have experienced has had dimensions and
limits. The secret lies in the fact that Space, like Time, has no real
existence outside of our perception of consciousness of the relative
position of Things--material objects. We see this thing here, and that
thing there. Between them is Nothingness. We take another object, say a
yard-stick, and measure off this Nothingness between the two objects,
and we call this measure of Nothingness by the term Distance. And yet
we cannot have measured Nothingness--that is impossible. What have we
really done? Simply this, determined how many lengths of yard-stick
could be laid between the other two objects.

We call this process measuring Space, but Space is Nothing, and we have
merely determined the relative position of objects. To "measure Space"
we must have three Things or objects, _i.e._, (l) The object from which
we start the measure; (2) The object with which we measure; and (3) The
object with which we end our measurement. We are unable to conceive of
Infinite Space, because we lack the third object in the measuring
process--the ending object. We may use ourselves as a starting point,
and the mental yard-stick is always at hand, but where is the object at
the other side of Infinity of Space by which the measurement may be
ended? It is not there, and we cannot think of the end without it.

Let us start with ourselves, and try to imagine a million million
miles, and then multiply them by another million million miles, a
million million times. What have we done? Simply extended our mental
yard-stick a certain number of times to an imaginary point in the
Nothingness that we call Space. So far so good, but the mind
intuitively recognizes that beyond that imaginary point at the end of
the last yard-stick, there is a capacity for an infinite extension of
yard-sticks--an infinite capacity for such extension. Extension of
what? Space? No! Yard-sticks! Objects! Things! Without material objects
Space is unthinkable. It has no existence outside of our consciousness
of Things. There is no such thing as Real Space. Space is merely an
infinite capacity for extending objects. Space itself is merely a name
for Nothingness. If you can form an idea of an object swept out of
existence, and nothing to take its place, that Nothing would be called
Space, the term implying the possibility of placing something there
without displacing anything else.

Size, of course, is but another form of speaking of Distance. And in
this connection let us not forget that just as one may think of Space
being infinite in the direction of largeness, so may we think of it as
being infinite in the sense of smallness. No matter how small may be an
object thought of, we are still able to think of it as being capable of
subdivision, and so on infinitely. There is no limit in this direction
either. As Jakob has said: "The conception of the infinitely minute is
as little capable of being grasped by us, as is that of the infinitely
great. Despite this, the admission of the reality of the infinitude,
both in the direction of greatness and of minuteness, is inevitable."

And, as Radenhausen has said: "The idea of Space is only an unavoidable
illusion of our Consciousness, or of our finite nature, and does not
exist outside of ourselves; the universe is infinitely small and
infinitely great."

The telescope has opened to us ideas of magnificent vastness and
greatness, and the perfected microscope has opened to us a world of
magnificent smallness and minuteness. The latter has shown us that a
drop of water is a world of minute living forms who live, eat, fight,
reproduce, and die. The mind is capable of imagining a universe
occupying no more space than one million-millionth of the tiniest speck
visible under the strongest microscope--and then imagining such a
universe containing millions of suns and worlds similar to our own, and
inhabited by living forms akin to ours--living, thinking men and women,
identical in every respect to ourselves. Indeed, as some philosophers
have said, if our Universe were suddenly reduced to such a size--the
relative proportions of everything being preserved, of course--then we
would not be conscious of any change, and life would go on the same,
and we would be of the same importance to ourselves and to the Absolute
as we are this moment. And the same would be true were the Universe
suddenly enlarged a million-million times. These changes would make no
difference in reality. Compared with each other, the tiniest speck and
the largest sun are practically the same size when viewed from the
Absolute.

We have dwelt upon these things so that you would be able to better
realize the relativity of Space and Time, and perceive that they are
merely symbols of Things used by the mind in dealing with finite
objects, and have no place in reality. When this is realized, then the
idea of Infinity in Time and Space is more readily grasped.

As Radenhausen says: "Beyond the range of human reason there is neither
Space nor Time; they are arbitrary conceptions of man, at which he has
arrived by the comparison and arrangement of different impressions
which he has received from the outside world. The conception of Space
arises from the sequence of the various forms which fill Space, by
which the external world appears to the individual man. The conception
of Time arises from the sequence of the various forms which change in
space (motion), by which the external world acts on the individual man,
and so on. But externally to ourselves, the distinction between
repletion of Space and mutation of Space does not exist, for each is in
constant transmutation, whatever is is filling and changing at the same
time--nothing is at a standstill," and to quote Ruckert: "The world has
neither beginning nor end, in space nor in time. Everywhere is center
and turning-point, and in a moment is eternity."

Next, the Intellect informs us that we must think of the Absolute as
containing within Itself all the Power there is, because there can be
no other source or reservoir of Power, and there can be no Power
outside of the All-Power. There can be no Power outside of the Absolute
to limit, confine, or conflict with It. Any laws of the Universe must
have been imposed by It, for there is no other law-giver, and every
manifestation of Energy, Force, or Power, perceived or evident in
Nature must be a part of the Power of the Absolute working along lines
laid down by it. In the Third Lesson, which will be entitled The
Will-to-Live, we shall see this Power manifesting along the lines of
Life as we know it.

Next, the Intellect informs us that it is compelled to think of the
Absolute as containing within Itself all possible Knowledge or Wisdom,
because there can be no Knowledge or Wisdom outside of It, and
therefore all the Wisdom and Knowledge possible must be within It. We
see Mind, Wisdom, and Knowledge manifested by relative forms of Life,
and such must emanate from the Absolute in accordance with certain laws
laid down by It, for otherwise there would be no such wisdom, etc., for
there is nowhere outside of the All from whence it could come. The
effect cannot be greater than the cause. If there is anything unknown
to the Absolute, then it will never be known to finite minds. So,
therefore, ALL KNOWLEDGE that Is, Has Been, or Can Be, must be NOW
vested in the One--the Absolute.

This does not mean that the Absolute _thinks_, in any such sense as
does Man. The Absolute must Know, without Thinking. It does not have to
gather Knowledge by the process of Thinking, as does Man--such an Idea
would be ridiculous, for from whence could the Knowledge come outside
of itself. When man thinks he draws to himself Knowledge from the
Universal source by the action of the Mind, but the Absolute has only
itself to draw on. So we cannot imagine the Absolute compelled to Think
as we do.

But, lest we be misunderstood regarding this phase of the subject, we
may say here that the highest occult teachings inform us that the
Absolute _does_ manifest a quality somewhat akin to what we would call
constructive thought, and that such "thoughts" manifest into
objectivity and manifestation, and become Creation. Created Things,
according to the Occult teachings are "Thoughts of God." Do not let
this idea disturb you, and cause you to feel that you are nothing,
because you have been called into being by a Thought of the Infinite
One. Even a Thought of that One would be intensely real in the relative
world--actually Real to all except the Absolute itself--and even the
Absolute knows that the _Real_ part of its Creations must be a part of
itself manifested through its thought, for the Thought of the Infinite
must be Real, and a part of Itself, for it cannot be anything else, and
to call it Nothing is merely to juggle with words. The faintest Thought
of the Infinite One would be far more real than anything man could
create--as solid as the mountain--as hard as steel--as durable as the
diamond--for, verily, even these are emanations of the Mind of the
Infinite, and are things of but a day, while the higher Thoughts--the
soul of Man--contains within itself a spark from the Divine Flame
itself--the Spirit of the Infinite. But these things will appear in
their own place, as we proceed with this series. We have merely given
you a little food for thought at this point, in connection with the
Mind of the Absolute.

So you see, good friends and students, that the Intellect in its
highest efforts, informs us that it finds itself compelled to report
that the One--the Absolute--That which it is compelled to admit really
exists--must be a One possessed of a nature so far transcending human
experience that the human mind finds itself without the proper
concepts, symbols, and words with which to think of It. But none the
less, the Intellect finds itself bound by its own laws to postulate the
existence of such an One.

It is the veriest folly to try to think of the One as It is "in
Itself"--for we have nothing but human attributes with which to measure
it, and It so far transcends such measurements that the mental
yard-sticks run out into infinity and are lost sight of. The highest
minds of the race inform us that the most exalted efforts of their
reason compels them to report that the One--in Itself--cannot be spoken
of as possessing attributes or qualities capable of being expressed in
human words employed to describe the Things of the relative world--and
all of our words are such. All of our words originate from such ideas,
and all of our ideas arise from our experience, directly or indirectly.
So we are not equipped with words with which to think of or speak of
that which transcends experience, although our Intellect informs us
that Reality lies back of our experience.

Philosophy finds itself unable to do anything better than to bring us
face to face with high paradoxes. Science in its pursuit of Truth finds
it cunningly avoiding it, and ever escaping its net. And we believe
that the Absolute purposely causes this to be, that in the end Man may
be compelled to look for the Spirit within himself--the only place
where he can come in touch with it. This, we think, is the answer to
the Riddle of the Sphinx--"Look Within for that which Thou needest."

But while the Spirit may be discerned only by looking within ourselves,
we find that once the mind realizes that the Absolute Is, it will be
able to see countless evidences of its action and presence by observing
manifested Life without. All Life is filled with the Life Power and
Will of the Absolute.

To us Life is but One--the Universe is a living Unity, throbbing,
thrilling and pulsating with the Will-to-Live of the Absolute. Back of
all apparent shapes, forms, names, forces, elements, principles and
substances, there is but One--One Life, present everywhere, and
manifesting in an infinitude of shapes, forms, and forces All
individual lives are but centers of consciousness in the One Life
underlying, depending upon it for degree of unfoldment, expression and
manifestation.

This may sound like Pantheism to some, but it is very different from
the Pantheism of the schools and cults. Pantheism is defined as "the
doctrine that God consists in the combined forces and laws manifested
in the existing Universe," or that "the Universe taken or conceived as
a whole is God." These definitions do not fit the conception of the
Absolute, of the Yogi Philosophy--they seem to breathe but a refined
materialism. The Absolute is not "the combined forces and laws
manifested in the universe," nor "the universe conceived as a whole."
Instead, the Universe, its forces and laws, even conceived as a whole,
have no existence in themselves, but are mere manifestations of the
Absolute. Surely this is different from Pantheism.

We teach that the Absolute is immanent in, and abiding in all forms of
Life in the Universe, as well as in its forces and laws--all being but
manifestations of the Will of the One. And we teach that this One is
superior to all forms of manifestations, and that Its existence and
being does not depend upon the manifestations, which are but effects of
the Cause.

The Pantheistic Universe--God is but a thing of phenomenal appearance,
but the Absolute is the very Spirit of Life--a Living, Existing
Reality, and would be so even if every manifestation were withdrawn
from appearance and expression--drawn back into the source from which
it emanated. The Absolute is more than Mountain or Ocean--Electricity
or Gravitation--Monad or Man--It is SPIRIT--LIFE--BEING--REALITY--the
ONE THAT IS. Omnipotent, Omnipresent; Omniscient; Eternal; Infinite;
Absolute; these are Man's greatest words, and yet they but feebly
portray a shadow thrown by the One Itself.

The Absolute is not a far-away Being directing our affairs at long
range--not an absentee Deity--but an Immanent Life in and about us
all--manifesting in us and creating us into individual centers of
consciousness, in pursuance with some great law of being.

And, more than this, the Absolute instead of being an indifferent and
unmoved spectator to its own creation, is a thriving, longing, active,
suffering, rejoicing, feeling Spirit, partaking of the feelings of its
manifestations, rather than callously witnessing them. It lives in
us--with us--through us. Back of all the pain in the world may be found
a great feeling and suffering love. The pain of the world is not
punishment or evidence of divine wrath, but the incidents of the
working out of some cosmic plan, in which the Absolute is the Actor,
through the forms of Its manifestations.

The message of the Absolute to some of the Illumined has been, "All is
being done in the best and only possible way--I am doing the best I
can--all is well--and in the end will so appear."

The Absolute is no personal Deity--yet in itself it contains all that
goes to make up all personality and all human relations. Father,
Mother, Child, Friend, is in It. All forms of human love and craving
for sympathy, understanding and companionship may find refuge in loving
the Absolute.

The Absolute is constantly in evidence in our lives, and yet we have
been seeking it here and there in the outer world, asking it to show
itself and prove Its existence. Well may it say to us: "Hast thou been
so long time with me, and hast thou not known me?" This is the great
tragedy of Life, that the Spirit comes to us--Its own--and we know It
not. We fail to hear Its words: "Oh, ye who mourn, I suffer with you
and through you. Yea, it is I who grieve in you. Your pain is mine--to
the last pang. I suffer all pain through you--and yet I rejoice beyond
you, for I know that through you, and with you, I shall conquer."

And this is a faint idea of what we believe the Absolute to be. In the
following lessons we shall see it in operation in all forms of life,
and in ourselves. We shall get close to the workings of Its mighty
Will--close to Its Heart of Love.

Carry with you the Central Thought of the Lesson: CENTRAL THOUGHT.
There is but One Life in the Universe. And underlying that One
Life--Its Real Self--Its Essence--Its Spirit--is The Absolute, living,
feeling, suffering, rejoicing, longing, striving, in and through us.
The Absolute is all that really Is, and all the visible Universe and
forms of Life is Its expression, through Its Will. We lack words
adequate to describe the nature of the Absolute, but we will use two
words describing its inmost nature as best we see it. These two words
are LIFE and LOVE, the one describing the outer, the other the inner
nature. Let us manifest both Life and Love as a token of our origin and
inner nature. Peace be with you.




THE SECOND LESSON


OMNIPRESENT LIFE.

In our First Lesson of this series, we brought out the idea that the
human mind was compelled to report the fact that it could not think of
The Absolute except as possessing the quality of
Omnipresence--Present-Everywhere. And, likewise, the human mind is
compelled to think that all there IS must be The Absolute, or _of_ the
Absolute. And if a thing is _of_ the Absolute, then the Absolute must
be _in_ it, in some way--must be the _essence_ of it. Granting this, we
must then think that everything must be filled with the essence of
Life, for Life must be one of the qualities of the Absolute, or rather
what we call Life must be the outward expression of the essential Being
of the Absolute. And if this be so, then it would follow that
_everything in the Universe must be Alive_. The mind cannot escape this
conclusion. And if the facts do not bear out this conclusion then we
must be forced to admit that the entire basic theory of the Absolute
and its emanations must fall, and be considered as an error. No chain
is stronger than its weakest link, and if this link be too weak to bear
the weight of the facts of the universe, then must the chain be
discarded as imperfect and useless, and another substituted. This fact
is not generally mentioned by those speaking and writing of All being
One, or an emanation of the One, but it must be considered and met. If
there is a single thing in the Universe that is
"dead"--non-living--lifeless--then the theory must fall. If a thing is
non-living, then the essence of the Absolute cannot be in it--it must
be alien and foreign to the Absolute, and in that case the Absolute
cannot be Absolute for there is something outside of itself. And so it
becomes of the greatest importance to examine into the evidences of the
presence of Life in all things, organic or inorganic. The evidence is
at hand--let us examine it.

The ancient occultists of all peoples always taught that the Universe
was Alive--that there was Life in everything--that there was nothing
dead in Nature--that Death meant simply a change in form in the
material of the dead bodies. They taught that Life, in varying degrees
of manifestation and expression, was present in everything and object,
even down to the hardest mineral form, and the atoms composing that
form.

Modern Science is now rapidly advancing to the same position, and each
months investigations and discoveries serve only to emphasize the
teachings.

Burbank, that wonderful moulder of plant life, has well expressed this
thought, when he says: "All my investigations have led me away from the
idea of a dead material universe tossed about by various forces, to
that of a universe which is absolutely all force, life, soul, thought,
or whatever name we may choose to call it. Every atom, molecule, plant,
animal or planet, is only an aggregation of organized unit forces, held
in place by stronger forces, thus holding them for a time latent,
though teeming with inconceivable power. All life on our planet is, so
to speak, just on the outer fringe of this infinite ocean of force. The
universe is not half dead, but all alive."

Science today is gazing upon a living universe. She has not yet
realized the full significance of what she has discovered, and her
hands are raised as if to shade her eyes from the unaccustomed glare
that is bursting upon her. From the dark cavern of universal dead
matter, she has stepped out into the glare of the noon-day sun of a
Universe All-Alive even to its smallest and apparently most inert
particle.

Beginning at Man, the highest form of Life known to us, we may pass
rapidly down the scale of animal life, seeing life in full operation at
each descending step. Passing from the animal to the vegetable kingdom,
we still see Life in full operation, although in lessened degrees of
expression. We shall not stop here to review the many manifestations of
Life among the forms of plant-life, for we shall have occasion to
mention them in our next lesson, but it must be apparent to all that
Life is constantly manifesting in the sprouting of seeds; the putting
forth of stalk, leaves, blossoms, fruit, etc., and in the enormous
manifestation of force and energy in such growth and development. One
may see the life force in the plant pressing forth for expression and
manifestation, from the first sprouting of the seed, until the last
vital action on the part of the mature plant or tree.

Besides the vital action observable in the growth and development of
plants, we know, of course, that plants sicken and die, and manifest
all other attributes of living forms. There is no room for argument
about the presence of life in the plant kingdom.

But there are other forms of life far below the scale of the plants.
There is the world of the bacteria, microbes, infusoria--the groups of
cells with a common life--the single cell creatures, down to the
Monera, the creatures lower than the single cells--the Things of the
slime of the ocean bed.

These tiny Things--living Things--present to the sight merely a tiny
speck of jelly, without organs of any kind. And yet they exercise all
the functions of life--movement, nutrition, reproduction, sensation,
and dissolution. Some of these elementary forms are all stomach, that
is they are all one organ capable of performing all the functions
necessary for the life of the animal. The creature has no mouth, but
when it wishes to devour an object it simply envelopes it--wraps itself
around it like a bit of glue around a gnat, and then absorbs the
substance of its prey through its whole body.

Scientists have turned some of these tiny creatures inside out, and yet
they have gone on with their life functions undisturbed and untroubled.
They have cut them up into still tinier bits, and yet each bit lived on
as a separate animal, performing all of its functions undisturbed. They
are all the same all over, and all the way through. They reproduce
themselves by growing to a certain size, and then separating into two,
and so on. The rapidity of the increase is most remarkable.

Haekel says of the Monera: "The Monera are the simplest permanent
cytods. Their entire body consists of merely soft, structureless plasm.
However thoroughly we may examine them with the help of the most
delicate reagents and the strongest optical instruments, we yet find
that all the parts are completely homogeneous. These Monera are
therefore, in the strictest sense of the word, 'organisms without
organs,' or even in a strict philosophical sense they might not even be
called organisms, since they possess no organs and since they are not
composed of various particles. They can only be called organisms in so
far as they are capable of exercising the organic phenomena of life, of
nutrition, reproduction, sensation and movement."

Verworn records an interesting instance of life and mind among the
_Rhizopods_, a very low form of living thing. He relates that the
_Difflugia ampula_, a creature occupying a tiny shell formed of minute
particles of sand, has a long projection of its substance, like a
feeler or tendril, with which it searches on the bottom of the sea for
sandy material with which to build the shell or outer covering for its
offspring, which are born by division from the parent body. It grasps
the particle of sand by the feeler, and passes it into its body by
enclosing it. Verworn removed the sand from the bottom of the tank,
replacing it by very minute particles of highly colored glass. Shortly
afterward he noticed a collection of these particles of glass in the
body of the creature, and a little later he saw a tiny speck of
protoplasm emitted from the parent by separation. At the same time he
noticed that the bits of glass collected by the mother creature were
passed out and placed around the body of the new creature, and cemented
together by a substance secreted by the body of the parent, thus
forming a shell and covering for the offspring. This proceeding showed
the presence of a mental something sufficient to cause the creature to
prepare a shell for the offspring previous to its birth--or rather to
gather the material for such shell, to be afterward used; to
distinguish the proper material; to mould it into shape, and cement it.
The scientist reported that a creature always gathered just exactly
enough sand for its purpose--never too little, and never an excess. And
this in a creature that is little more than a tiny drop of glue!

We may consider the life actions of the Moneron a little further, for
it is the lowest form of so-called "living matter"--the point at which
living forms pass off into non-living forms (so-called). This tiny
speck of glue--an organism without organs--is endowed with the faculty
called sensation. It draws away from that which is likely to injure it,
and toward that which it desires--all in response to an elementary
sensation. It has the instinct of self-preservation and
self-protection. It seeks and finds its prey, and then eats, digests
and assimilates it. It is able to move about by "false-feet," or bits
of its body which it pushes forth at will from any part of its
substance. It reproduces itself, as we have seen, by separation and
self-division.

The life of the bacteria and germs--the yeasty forms of life--are
familiar to many of us. And yet there are forms of life still below
these. The line between living forms and non-living forms is being set
back further and further by science. Living creatures are now known
that resemble the non-living so closely that the line cannot be
definitely drawn.

Living creatures are known that are capable of being dried and laid
away for several years, and then may be revived by the application of
moisture. They resemble dust, but are full of life and function.
Certain forms of bacilli are known to Science that have been subjected
to degrees of heat and cold that are but terms to any but the
scientific mind.

Low forms of life called Diatoms or "living crystals" are known. They
are tiny geometrical forms. They are composed of a tiny drop of plasm,
resembling glue, covered by a thin shell of siliceous or sandy
material. They are visible only through the microscope, and are so
small that thousands of them might be gathered together on the head of
a pin. They are so like chemical crystals that it requires a shrewd and
careful observer to distinguish them. And yet they are alive, and
perform all the functions of life.

Leaving these creatures, we enter the kingdom of the crystals, in our
search for life. Yes, the crystals manifest life, as strange as this
statement may appear to those who have not followed the march of
Science. The crystals are born, grow, live, and may be killed by
chemicals or electricity. Science has added a new department called
"Plasmology," the purpose of which is the study of crystal life. Some
investigators have progressed so far as to claim that they have
discovered signs of rudimentary sex functioning among crystals. At any
rate, crystals are born and grow like living things. As a recent
scientific writer has said: "Crystallization, as we are to learn now,
is not a mere mechanical grouping of dead atoms. It is a birth."

The crystal forms from the mother liquor, and its body is built up
systematically, regularly, and according to a well defined plan or
pattern, just as are the body and bones of the animal form, and the
wood and bark of the tree. There is life at work in the growth of the
crystal. And not only does the crystal grow, but it also reproduces
itself by separation or splitting-off, just as is the case with the
lower forms of life, just mentioned.

The principal point of difference between the growth and development of
the crystals and that of the lower forms of life referred to is that
the crystal takes its nourishment from the outside, and builds up from
its outer surface, while the Monera absorbs its nourishment from
within, and grows outwardly from within. If the crystal had a soft
center, and took its nourishment in that way, it would be almost
identical with the Diatom, or, if the Diatom grew from the outside, it
would be but a crystal. A very fine dividing line.

Crystals, like living forms, may be sterilized and rendered incapable
of reproduction by chemical process, or electrical discharges. They may
also be "killed" and future growth prevented in this manner. Surely
this looks like "Life," does it not?

To realize the importance of this idea of life among the crystals, we
must remember that our hardest rocks and metals are composed of
crystals, and that the dirt and earth upon which we grow and live are
but crumbled rock and miniature crystals. Therefore the very dust under
our feet is alive. _There is nothing dead._ There is no transformation
of "dead matter" into live plant matter, and then into live animal
matter. The chemicals are alive, and from chemical to man's body there
is but a continuous change of shape and form of living matter. Any
man's body, decomposing, is again resolved into chemicals, and the
chain begins over again. Merely changes in living forms--that's all, so
far as the bodies are concerned.

Nature furnishes us with many examples of this presence of life in the
inorganic world. We have but to look around to see the truth of the
statement that All is Alive. There is that which is known as the
"fatigue of elasticity" in metals. Razors get tired, and require a
rest. Tuning forks lose their powers of vibration, to a degree, and
have to be given a vacation. 'Machinery in mills and manufactories
needs an occasional day off. Metals are subject to disease and
infection, and have been poisoned and restored by antidotes. Window
glass, especially stained glass, is subject to a disease spreading from
pane to pane.

Men accustomed to handling and using tools and machinery naturally drop
into the habit of speaking of these things as if they were alive. They
seem to recognize the presence of "feeling" in tools or machine, and to
perceive in each a sort of "character" or personality, which must be
respected, humored, or coaxed in order to get the best results.

Perhaps the most valuable testimony along these lines, and which goes
very far toward proving the centuries-old theories of the Yogis
regarding Omnipresent Life, comes from Prof. J. Chunder Bose, of the
Calcutta University, a Hindu educated in the English Universities,
under the best teachers, and who is now a leading scientific authority
in the western world, tie has given to the world some very valuable
scientific information along these lines in his book entitled
"_Response in the Living and Non-living_," which has caused the widest
comment and created the greatest interest among the highest scientific
authorities. His experiments along the lines of the gathering of
evidence of life in the inorganic forms have revolutionized the
theories of modern science, and have done much to further the idea that
life is present everywhere, and that there is no such thing as dead
matter.

He bases his work upon the theory that the best and only true test for
the presence of life in matter is the response of matter to external
stimulus. Proceeding from this fundamental theory he has proven by
in-numerable experiments that so-called inorganic matter, minerals,
metals, etc., give a response to such stimulus, which response is
similar, if not identical, to the response of the matter composing the
bodies of plants, animals, men.

He devised delicate apparatus for the measurement of the response to
the outside stimulus, the degree, and other evidence being recorded in
traces on a revolving cylinder. The tracings or curves obtained from
tin and other metals, when compared with those obtained from living
muscle, were found to be identical. He used a galvanometer, a very
delicate and accurate scientific instrument, in his experiments. This
instrument is so finely adjusted that the faintest current will cause a
deflection of the registering needle, which is delicately swung on a
tiny pivot. If the galvanometer be attached to a human nerve, and the
end of the nerve be irritated, the needle will register.

Prof. Bose found that when he attached the galvanometer to bars of
various metals they gave a similar response when struck or twisted. The
greater the irritation applied to the metal, the greater the response
registered by the instrument. The analogy between the response of the
metal and that of the living muscle was startling. For instance, just
as in the case of the living animal muscle or nerve matter, the
response becomes fatigued, so in the case of the metal the curve
registered by the needle became fainter and still fainter, as the bar
became more and more fatigued by the continued irritation. And again,
just after such fatigue the muscle would become rested, and would again
respond actively, so would the metal when given a chance to recuperate.

Tetanus due to shocks constantly repeated, was caused and recovered.
Metals recorded evidences of fatigue. Drugs caused identical effects on
metals and animals--some exciting; some depressing; some killing. Some
poisonous chemicals killed pieces of metal, rendering them immobile and
therefore incapable of registering records on the apparatus. In some
cases antidotes were promptly administered, and saved the life of the
metal.

Prof. Bose also conducted experiments on plants in the same way. Pieces
of vegetable matter were found to be capable of stimulation, fatigue,
excitement, depression, poison. Mrs. Annie Besant, who witnessed some
of these experiments in Calcutta, has written as follows regarding the
experiments on plant life: "There is something rather pathetic in
seeing the way in which the tiny spot of light which records the pulses
in the plant, travels in ever weaker and weaker curves, when the plant
is under the influence of poison, then falls into a final despairing
straight line, and--stops. One feels as though a murder has been
committed--as indeed it has."

In one of Prof. Bose's public experiments he clearly demonstrated that
a bar of iron was fully as sensitive as the human body, and that it
could be irritated and stimulated in the same way, and finally could be
poisoned and killed. "Among such phenomena," he asks, "how can we draw
the line of demarkation, and say, 'Here the physical ends, and there
the physiological begins'? No such barrier exists." According to his
theory, which agrees with the oldest occult theories, by the way, life
is present in every object and form of Nature, and all forms respond to
external stimulus, which response is a proof of the presence of life in
the form.

Prof. Bose's great book is full of the most startling results of
experiments. He proves that the metals manifest something like sleep;
can be killed; exhibit torpor and sluggishness; get tired or lazy; wake
up; can be roused into activity; may be stimulated, strengthened,
weakened; suffer from extreme cold and heat; may be drugged or
intoxicated, the different metals manifesting a different response to
certain drugs, just as different men and animals manifest a varying
degree of similar resistance. The response of a piece of steel
subjected to the influence of a chemical poison shows a gradual
fluttering and weakening until it finally dies away, just as animal
matter does when similarly poisoned. When revived in time by an
antidote, the recovery was similarly gradual in both metal and muscle.
A remarkable fact is noted by the scientist when he tells us that the
very poisons that kill the metals are themselves alive and may be
killed, drugged, stimulated, etc., showing the same response as in the
case of the metals, proving the existence in them of the same life that
is in the metals and animal matter that they influence.

Of course when these metals are "killed" there is merely a killing of
the metal as metal--the atoms and principles of which the metal is
composed remaining fully alive and active, just as is the case with the
atom of the human body after the soul passes out--the body is as much
alive after death as during the life of the person, the activity of the
parts being along the lines of dissolution instead of construction in
that case.

We hear much of the claims of scientists who announce that they are on
the eve of "_creating_ life" from non-living matter. This is all
nonsense--life can come only from life. Life from non-life is an
absurdity. And all Life comes from the One Life underlying All. But it
is true that Science has done, is doing, and will do, something very
much like "creating life," but of course this is merely changing the
form of Life into other forms--the lesser form into the higher--just as
one produces a plant from a seed, or a fruit from a plant. The Life is
always there, and responds to the proper stimulus and conditions.

A number of scientists are working on the problem of generating living
forms from inorganic matter. The old idea of "spontaneous generation,"
for many years relegated to the scrap-pile of Science, is again coming
to the front. Although the theory of Evolution compels its adherents to
accept the idea that at one time in the past living forms sprung from
the non-living (so-called), yet it has been generally believed that the
conditions which brought about this stage of evolution has forever
passed. But the indications now all point to the other view that this
stage of evolution is, and always has been, in operation, and that new
forms of life are constantly evolving from the inorganic forms.
"Creation," so-called (although the word is an absurdity from the Yogi
point of view), is constantly being performed.

Dr. Charlton Bastian, of London, Eng., has long been a prominent
advocate of this theory of continuous spontaneous generation. Laughed
down and considered defeated by the leading scientific minds of a
generation ago, he still pluckily kept at work, and his recent books
were like bombshells in the orthodox scientific camp. He has taken more
than five thousand photo-micrographs, all showing most startling facts
in connection with the origin of living forms from the inorganic. He
claims that the microscope reveals the development in a previously
clear liquid of very minute black spots, which gradually enlarge and
transform into bacteria--living forms of a very low order. Prof. Burke,
of Cambridge, Eng., has demonstrated that he may produce in sterilized
boullion, subjected to the action of sterilized radium chloride, minute
living bodies which manifest growth and subdivision. Science is being
gradually forced to the conclusion that living forms are still arising
in the world by natural processes, which is not at all remarkable when
one remembers that natural law is uniform and continuous. These recent
discoveries go to swell the already large list of modern scientific
ideas which correspond with the centuries-old Yogi teachings. When the
Occult explanation that there is Life in everything, _inorganic as well
as organic_, and that evolution is constant, is heard, then may we see
that these experiments simply prove that the forms of life may be
changed and developed--not that Life may be "created."

The chemical and mineral world furnish us with many instances of the
growth and development of forms closely resembling the forms of the
vegetable world. What is known as "metallic vegetation," as shown in
the "lead tree," gives us an interesting example of this phenomenon.
The experiment is performed by placing in a wide-necked bottle a clear
acidulated solution of acetate of lead. The bottle is corked, a piece
of copper wire being fastened to the cork, from which wire is suspended
a piece of zinc, the latter hanging as nearly as possible in the center
of the lead solution. When the bottle is corked the copper wire
immediately begins to surround itself with a growth of metallic lead
resembling fine moss. From this moss spring branches and limbs, which
in turn manifest a growth similar to foliage, until at last a miniature
bush or tree is formed. Similar "metallic vegetation" may be produced
by other metallic solutions.

All of you have noticed how crystals of frost form on window panes in
shapes of leaves, branches, foliage, flowers, blossoms, etc. Saltpeter
when subjected to the effect of polarized light assumes forms closely
resembling the forms of the orchid. Nature is full of these
resemblances.

A German scientist recently performed a remarkable experiment with
certain metallic salts. He subjected the salts to the action of a
galvanic current, when to his surprise the particles of the salts
grouped themselves around the negative pole of the battery, and then
grew into a shape closely resembling a miniature mushroom, with tiny
stem and umbrella top. These metallic mushrooms at first presented a
transparent appearance, but gradually developed color, the top of the
umbrella being a bright red, with a faint rose shade on the under
surface. The stems showed a pale straw color. This was most
interesting, but the important fact of the experiment consists in the
discovery that these mushrooms have fine veins or tubes running along
the stems, through which the nourishment, or additional material for
growth, is transported, so that the growth is actually from the inside,
just as is the case with fungus life. To all intents and purposes,
these inorganic metallic growths were low forms of vegetable his.

But the search for Life does not end with the forms of the mineral
world as we know them. Science has separated the material forms into
smaller forms, and again still smaller. And if there is Life in the
form composed of countless particles, then must there be Life in the
particles themselves. For Life cannot come from non-Life, and if there
be not Life in the particles, the theory of Omnipresent Life must fan.
So we must look beyond the form and shape of the mineral--mist separate
it into its constituent parts, and then examine the parts for
indications of Life.

Science teaches us that all forms of matter are compiled of minute
particles called molecules. A molecule is the smallest particle of
matter that is possible, unless the chemical atoms composing the matter
fly apart and the matter be resolved into its original elements. For
instance, let us take the familiar instance of a drop of water. Let us
divide and subdivide the drop, until at last we get to the smallest
possible particle of water. That smallest possible particle would be a
"molecule" of water. We cannot subdivide this molecule without causing
its atoms of hydrogen and oxygen to fly apart--and then there would be
no _water_ at all. Well, these molecules manifest a something called
Attraction for each other. They attract other molecules of the same
kind, and are likewise attracted. The operation of this law of
attraction results in the formation of masses of matter, whether those
masses be mountains of solid rock, or a drop of water, or a volume of
gas. All masses of matter are composed of aggregations of molecules,
held together by the law of attraction. This law of attraction is
called Cohesion. This Cohesive Attraction is not a mere mechanical
force, as many suppose, but is an exhibition of Life action,
manifesting in the presence of the molecule of a "like" or "love" for
the similar molecule. And when the Life energies begin to manifest on a
certain plane, and proceed to mould the molecules into crystals, so
that we may see the actual process under way, we begin to realize very
clearly that there is "something at work" in this building up.

But wonderful as this may seem to those unfamiliar with the idea, the
manifestation of Life among the atoms is still more so. The atom, you
will remember, is the chemical unit which, uniting with other atoms,
makes up the molecule. For instance, if we take two atoms of the gas
called hydrogen and one atom of the gas called oxygen, and place them
near each other, they will at once rush toward each other and form a
partnership, which is called a molecule of water. And so it is with all
atoms--they are continually forming partnerships, or dissolving them.
Marriage and divorce is a part of the life of the atoms. These
evidences of attraction and repulsion among the atoms are receiving
much attention from careful thinkers, and some of the most advanced
minds of the age see in this phenomena the corroboration of the old
Yogi idea that there is Life and vital action in the smallest particles
of matter.

The atoms manifest vital characteristics in their attractions and
repulsions. They move along the lines of their attractions and form
marriages, and thus combining they form the substances with which we
are familiar. When they combine, remember, they do not lose their
individuality and melt into a permanent substance, but merely unite and
yet remain distinct. If the combination be destroyed by chemical
action, electrical discharge, etc., the atoms fly apart, and again live
their own separate lives, until they come in contact with other atoms
with which they have affinities, and form a new union or partnership.
In many chemical changes the atoms divorce themselves, each forsaking
its mate or mates, and seeking some newer affinity in the shape of a
more congenial atom. The atoms manifest a fickleness and will always
desert a lesser attraction for a greater one. This is no mere bit of
imagery, or scientific poetry. It is a scientific statement of the
action of atoms along the lines of vital manifestation.

The great German scientist, Haekel, has said: "I cannot imagine the
simplest chemical and physical processes without attributing the
movement of the material particles to unconscious sensation. The idea
of Chemical Affinity consists in the fact that the various chemical
elements perceive differences in the qualities of other elements, and
experience pleasure or revulsion at contact with them, and execute
their respective movements on this ground." He also says: "We may
ascribe the feeling of pleasure or pain (satisfaction or
dissatisfaction) to all atoms, and thereby ascribe the elective
affinities of chemistry to the attraction between living atoms and
repulsion between hating atoms." He also says that "the sensations in
animal and plant life are connected by a long series of evolutionary
stages with the simpler forms of sensation that we find in the
inorganic elements, and that reveal themselves in chemical affinity."
Naegli says: "If the molecules possess something that is related,
however distantly, to sensation, it must be comfortable for them to be
able to follow their attractions and repulsions, and uncomfortable for
them when they are forced to do otherwise."

We might fill page after page with quotations from eminent thinkers
going to prove the correctness of the old Yogi teachings that Life is
Omnipresent. Modern Science is rapidly advancing to this position,
leaving behind her the old idea of "dead matter." Even the new theories
of the electron--the little particles of electrical energy which are
now believed to constitute the base of the atom--does not change this
idea, for the electrons manifest attraction, and response thereto, and
form themselves into groups composing the atom. And even if we pass
beyond matter into the mystical Ether which Science assumes to be the
material base of things, we must believe that there is life there too,
and that as Prof. Dolbear says: "The Ether has besides the function of
energy and motion, other inherent properties, out of which could
emerge, under proper circumstances, other phenomena, such as life,
mind, or whatever may be in the substratum," and, that as Prof. Cope
has hinted, that the basis of Life lies back of the atoms and may be
found in the Universal Ether.

Some scientists go even further, and assert that not only is Life
present in everything, but that Mind is present where Life is. Verily,
the dreams of the Yogi fathers are coming true, and from the ranks of
the materialists are coming the material proofs of the spiritual
teachings. Listen to these words from Dr. Saleeby, in his recent
valuable scientific work, "_Evolution, the Master Key_." He says:

"Life is potential in matter; life-energy is not a thing unique and
created at a particular time in the past. If evolution be true, living
matter has been evolved by natural processes from matter which is,
apparently, not alive. But if life is potential in matter, it is a
thousand times more evident that Mind is potential in Life. The
evolutionist is impelled to believe that Mind is potential in matter.
(I adopt that form of words for the moment, but not without future
criticism.) The microscopic cell, a minute speck of matter that is to
become man, has in it the promise and the germ of mind. May we not then
draw the inference that the elements of mind are present in those
chemical elements--carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, sulphur,
phosphorus, sodium, potassium, chlorine--that are found in the cell.
Not only must we do so, but we must go further, since we know that each
of these elements, and every other, is built up out of one invariable
unit, the electron, and we must therefore assert that Mind is potential
in the unit of Matter--the electron itself... It is to assert the
sublime truth first perceived by Spinoza, that Mind and Matter are the
warp and woof of what Goethe called 'the living garment of God.' Both
are complementary expressions of the Unknowable Reality which underlies
both."

There is no such thing as non-vital attraction or repulsion. All
inclinations for or against another object, or thing, is an evidence of
Life. Each thing has sufficient life energy to enable it to carry on
its work. And as each form advances by evolution into a higher form, it
is able to have more of the Life energy manifest through it. As its
material machinery is built up, it becomes able to manifest a greater
and higher degree of Life. It is not that one thing has a low life, or
another a high life--this cannot be, for there is but One Life. It is
like the current of electricity that is able to run the most delicate
machinery or manifest a light in the incandescent lamp. Give it the
organ or machinery of manifestation, and it manifests--give it a low
form, and it will manifest a low degree--give it a high form, and it
will manifest a high degree. The same steam power runs the clumsy
engine, or the perfect apparatus which drives the most delicate
mechanism. And so it is with the One Life--its manifestations may seem
low and clumsy, or high and perfect--but it all depends upon the
material or mental machinery through which it works. There is but One
Life, manifesting in countless forms and shapes, and degrees. One Life
underlying All--in All.

From the highest forms of Life down through the animal, vegetable and
mineral kingdoms, we see Life everywhere present--Death an illusion.
Back of all visible forms of material life there is still the
beginnings of manifested life pressing forward for expression and
manifestation. And underneath all is the Spirit of Life--longing,
striving, feeling, acting.

In the mountain and the ocean--the flower and the tree--the sunset--the
dawn--the suns--the stars--all is Life--manifestations of the One Life.
Everything is Alive, quick with living force, power, action; thrilling
with vitality; throbbing with feeling; filled with activity. All is
from the One Life--and all that is from the One Life is Alive. There is
no dead substance in the Universe--there can be none--for Life cannot
Die. All is Alive. And Life is in All.

Carry with you this Central Thought of the Lesson:

CENTRAL THOUGHT: _There is but One Life, and its manifestations
comprise all the forms and shapes of the Universe. From Life comes but
Life--and Life can come only from Life. Therefore we have the right to
expect that all manifestations of the One Life should be Alive. And we
are not mocked in such belief. Not only do the highest Occult Teachings
inform us that Everything is Alive, but Modern Science has proven to us
that Life is present everywhere--even in that which was formerly
considered dead matter. It now sees that even the atom, and what lies
back of the atom, is charged with Life Energy and Action. Forms and
shapes may change, and do change--but Life remains eternal and
infinite. It cannot Die--for it is LIFE._

Peace be with thee.




THE THIRD LESSON


THE CREATIVE WILL.

In our first lesson of this series, we stated that among the other
qualities and attributes that we were compelled, by the laws of our
reason, to think that the Absolute possessed, was that of Omnipotence
or All-Power. In other words we are compelled to think of the One as
being the source and fount of all the Power there is, ever has been, or
ever can be in the Universe. Not only, as is generally supposed, that
the Power of the One is greater than any other Power,--but more than
this, that there can be no other power, and that, therefore, each and
every, any and all manifestations or forms of Power, Force or Energy
must be a part of the great one Energy which emanates from the One.

There is no escape from this conclusion, as startling as it may appear
to the mind unaccustomed to it. If there is any power not from and of
the One, from whence comes such power, for there is nothing else
outside of the One? Who or what exists outside of the One that can
manifest even the faintest degree of power of any kind? All power must
come from the Absolute, and must in its nature be but one.

Modern Science has recognized this truth, and one of its fundamental
principles is the Unity of Energy--the theory that all forms of Energy
are, at the last, One. Science holds that all forms of Energy are
interchangeable, and from this idea comes the theory of the
Conservation of Energy or Correlation of Force.

Science teaches that every manifestation of energy, power, or force,
from the operation of the law of gravitation, up to the highest form of
mental force is but the operation of the One Energy of the Universe.

Just what this Energy is, in its inner nature, Science does not know.
It has many theories, but does not advance any of them as a law. It
speaks of the Infinite and Eternal Energy from which all things
proceed, but pronounces its nature to be unknowable. But some of the
latter-day scientists are veering around to the teachings of the
occultists, and are now hinting that it is something more than a mere
mechanical energy. They are speaking of it in terms of mind. Wundt, the
German scientist, whose school of thought is called voluntarism,
considers the motive-force of Energy to be something that may be called
Will. Crusius, as far back as 1744 said: "Will is the dominating force
of the world." And Schopenhauer based his fascinating but gloomy
philosophy and metaphysics upon the underlying principle of an active
form of energy which he called the Will-to-Live, which he considered to
be the Thing-in-Itself, or the Absolute. Balzac, the novelist,
considered a something akin to Will, to be the moving force of the
Universe. Bulwer advanced a similar theory, and made mention of it in
several of his novels

This idea of an active, creative Will, at work in the Universe,
building up; tearing down; replacing; repairing; changing--always at
work--ever active--has been entertained by numerous philosophers and
thinkers, under different names and styles. Some, like Schopenhauer
have thought of this Will as the final thing--that which took the place
of God--the First Cause. But others have seen in this Will an active
living principle emanating from the Absolute or God, and working in
accordance with the laws impressed by Him upon it. In various forms,
this latter idea is seen all through the history of philosophical
thought. Cudsworth, the English philosopher, evolved the idea of a
something called the "Plastic Nature," which so closely approaches the
Yogi idea of the Creative Will, that we feel justified in quoting a
passage from his book. He says:

"It seems not so agreeable to reason that Nature, as a distinct thing
from the Deity, should be quite superseded or made to signify nothing,
God Himself doing all things immediately and miraculously; from whence
it would follow also that they are all done either forcibly and
violently, or else artificially only, and none of them by any inward
principle of their own.

"This opinion is further confuted by that slow and gradual process that
in the generation of things, which would seem to be but a vain and idle
pomp or a trifling formality if the moving power were omnipotent; as
also by those errors and bungles which are committed where the matter
is inept and contumacious; which argue that the moving power be not
irresistible, and that Nature is such a thing as is not altogether
incapable (as well as human art) of being sometimes frustrated and
disappointed by the indisposition of matter. Whereas an omnipotent
moving power, as it could dispatch its work in a moment, so would it
always do it infallibly and irresistibly, no ineptitude and
stubbornness of matter being ever able to hinder such a one, or make
him bungle or fumble in anything.

"Wherefore, since neither all things are produced fortuitously, or by
the unguided mechanism of matter, nor God himself may be reasonably
thought to do all things immediately and miraculously, it may well be
concluded that there is a Plastic Nature under him, which, as an
inferior and subordinate instrument, doth drudgingly execute that part
of his providence which consists in the regular and orderly motion of
matter; yet so as there is also besides this a higher providence to be
acknowledged, which, presiding over it, doth often supply the defects
of it, and sometimes overrules it, forasmuch as the Plastic Nature
cannot act electively nor with discretion."

The Yogi Philosophy teaches of the existence of a Universal Creative
Will, emanating from the Absolute--infilled with the power of the
Absolute and acting under established natural laws, which performs the
active work of creation in the world, similar to that performed by
"Cudsworth's Plastic Nature," just mentioned. This Creative Will is not
Schopenhauer's Will-to-Live. It is not a Thing-in-itself, but a vehicle
or instrument of the Absolute. It is an emanation of the mind of the
Absolute--a manifestation in action of its Will--a mental product
rather than a physical, and, of course, saturated with the life-energy
of its projector.

This Creative Will is not a mere blind, mechanical energy or force--it
is far more than this. We can explain it only by referring you to the
manifestation of the Will in yourself. You wish to move your arm, and
it moves. The immediate force may seem to be a mechanical force, but
what is back of that force--what is the essence of the force? The Will!
All manifestations of energy--all the causes of motion--all forces--are
forms of the action of the Will of the One--the Creative Will--acting
under natural laws established by the One, ever moving, acting,
forcing, urging, driving, leading. We do not mean that every little act
is a thought of the moment on the part of the Absolute, and a reaching
out of the Will in obedience to that thought. On the contrary, we mean
that the One set the Will into operation as a whole, conceiving of laws
and limitations in its action, the Will constantly operating in
obedience to that conception, the results manifesting in what we call
natural law; natural forces, etc. Besides this, the Absolute is
believed to manifest its Will specially upon occasions; and moreover
permits its Will to be applied and used by the individual wills of
individual Egos, under the general Law and laws, and plan of the One.

But you must not suppose that the Will is manifested only in the form
of mechanical forces, cohesion, chemical attraction, electricity,
gravitation, etc.

It does more than this. It is in full operation in all forms of life,
and living things. It is present everywhere. Back of all forms of
movement and action, we find a moving cause--usually a _Pressure_. This
is true of that which we have been calling mechanical forces, and of
all forms of that which we call Life Energy. Now, note this, this great
Pressure that you will observe in all Life Action, is the Creative
Will--the Will Principle of the One--bending toward the carrying out of
the Great Plan of Life.

Look where we will, on living forms, and we may begin to recognize the
presence of a certain creative energy at work--building up; moulding,
directing; tearing down; replacing, etc.--always active in its efforts
to create, preserve and conserve life. This visible creative energy is
what the Yogi Philosophy calls "the Creative Will," and which forms the
subject of this lesson. The Creative Will is that striving, longing,
pressing forward, unfolding, progressing evolutionary effort, that all
thoughtful people see in operation in all forms of life--throughout all
Nature. From the lowest to the highest forms of life, the Effort,
Energy, Pressure, may be recognized in action, creating, preserving,
nourishing, and improving its forms. It is that Something that we
recognize when we speak of "Nature's Forces" at work in plant growth
and animal functioning. If you will but keep the word and
idea--"NATURE"--before you, you will be able to more clearly form the
mental concept of the Creative Will. The Creative Will is that which
you have been calling "Nature at Work" in the growth of the plant; the
sprouting of the seed; the curling and reaching of the tendril; the
fertilization of the blossoms, etc. You have seen this Will at work, if
you have watched growing things.

We call this energy "the Creative Will," because it is the objective
manifestation of the Creative Energy of the Absolute--Its visible Will
manifested in the direction of physical life. It is as much Will in
action, as the Will that causes your arm to move in response to its
power. It is no mere chance thing, or mechanical law--it is life action
in operation.

This Creative Will not only causes movement in completed life, but all
movement and action in life independent of the personal will of its
individual forms. All the phenomena of the so-called Unconscious belong
to it. It causes the body to grow; attends to the details of
nourishment, assimilation, digestion, elimination, and all of the rest.
It builds up bodies, organs, and parts, and keeps them in operation and
function.

The Creative Will is directed to the outward expression of Life--to the
objectification of Life. You may call this energy the "Universal Life
Energy" if you wish, but, to those who know it, it is a Will--an
active, living Will, in full operation and power, pressing forward
toward the manifestation of objective life.

The Creative Will seems to be filled with a strong Desire to manifest.
It longs to express itself, and to give birth to forms of activity.
Desire lies under and in all forms of its manifestations. The ever
present Desire of the Creative Will causes lower forms to be succeeded
by higher forms--and is the moving cause of evolution--it is the
Evolutionary Urge itself, which ever cries to its manifestations, "Move
on; move upward."

In the Hindu classic, the "Mahabarata," Brahma created the most
beautiful female being ever known, and called her Tillotama. He
presented her in turn to all the gods, in order to witness their wonder
and admiration. Siva's desire to behold her was so great that it
developed in him four faces, in succession, as she made the tour of the
assembly; and Indra's longing was so intense that his body became all
eyes. In this myth may be seen exemplified the effect of Desire and
Will in the forms of life, function and shape--all following Desire and
Need, as in the case of the long neck of the giraffe which enables him
to reach for the high branches of the trees in his native land; and in
the long neck and high legs of the fisher birds, the crane, stork,
ibis, etc.

The Creative Will finds within itself a desire to create suns, and they
are formed. It desired planets to revolve around the suns, and they
were thrown off in obedience to the law. It desired plant life, and
plant life appeared, working from higher to lower form. Then came
animal life, from nomad to man. Some of the animal forms yielded to the
desire to fly, and wings appeared gradually, and we called it
bird-life. Some felt a desire to burrow in the ground, and lo! came the
moles, gophers, etc. It wanted a thinking creature, and Man with his
wonderful brain was evolved. Evolution is more than a mere survival of
the fittest; natural selection, etc. Although it uses these laws as
tools and instruments, still back of them is that insistent urge--that
ever-impelling desire--that ever-active Creative Will. Lamark was
nearer right than Darwin when he claimed that Desire was back of it
all, and preceded function and form. Desire wanted form and function,
and produced them by the activity of the Creative Will.

This Creative Will acts like a living force--and so it is indeed--but
it does not act as a reasoning, intellectual Something, in one
sense--instead it manifests rather the "feeling," wanting, longing,
instinctive phase of mind, akin to those "feelings" and resulting
actions that we find within our natures. The Will acts on the
Instinctive Plane.

Evolution shows us Life constantly pressing forward toward higher and
still higher forms of expression. The urge is constantly upward and
onward. It is true that some species sink out of sight their work in
the world having been done, but they are succeeded by other species
more in harmony with their environment and the needs of their times.
Some races of men decay, but others build on their foundations, and
reach still greater heights.

The Creative Will is something different from Reason or Intellect. But
it underlies these. In the lower forms of life, in which mind is in but
small evidence, the Will is in active operation, manifesting in
Instinct and Automatic Life Action, so called. It does not depend upon
brains for manifestation--for these lowly forms of life have no
brains--but is in operation through every part of the body of the
living thing.

Evidences of the existence of the Creative Will acting independently of
the brains of animal and plant life may be had in overwhelming quantity
if we will but examine the life action in the lower forms of life.

The testimony of the investigators along the lines of the Evolutionary
school of thought, show us that the Life Principle was in active
operation in lowly animal and plant life millions of years before
brains capable of manifesting Thought were produced. Haekel informs us
that during more than half of the enormous time that has elapsed since
organic life first became evident, no animal sufficiently advanced to
have a brain was in existence. Brains were evolved according to the law
of desire or necessity, in accordance with the Great Plan, but they
were not needed for carrying on the wonderful work of the creation and
preservation of the living forms. And they are not today. The tiny
infant, and the senseless idiot are not able to think intelligently,
but still their life functions go on regularly and according to law, in
spite of the absence of thinking brains. And the life work of the
plants, and of the lowly forms of animal life, is carried on likewise.
This wonderful thing that we call Instinct is but another name for the
manifestation of the Creative Will which flows from the One Life, or
the Absolute.

Even as far down the scale of life as the Monera, we may see the
Creative Will in action. The Monera are but tiny bits of slimy,
jelly-like substances--mere specks of glue without organs of any kind,
and yet they exercise the organic phenomena of life, such as nutrition,
reproduction, sensation and movement, all of which are usually
associated with an organized structure. These creatures are incapable
of thought in themselves, and the phenomenon is due to the action of
the Will through them. This Instinctive impulse and action is seen
everywhere, manifesting upon Higher and still higher lines, as higher
forms of organisms are built up.

Scientists have used the term, "Appetency," defining it as, "the
instinctive tendency of living organisms to perform certain actions;
the tendency of an unorganized body to seek that which satisfies the
wants of its organism." Now what is this tendency? It cannot be an
effort of reason, for the low form of life has nothing with which to
reason. And it is impossible to think of "purposive tendency" without
assuming the existence of mental power of some kind. And where can such
a power be located if not in the form itself? When we consider that the
Will is acting in and through all forms of Life, from highest to
lowest--from Moneron to Man--we can at once recognize the source of the
power and activity. It is the Great Life Principle--the Creative Will,
manifesting itself.

We can perhaps better form an idea of the Creative Will, by reference
to its outward and visible forms of activity. We cannot see the Will
itself--the Pressure and the Urge--but we can see its action through
living forms. Just as we cannot see a man behind a curtain, and yet may
practically see him by watching the movements of his form as he presses
up against the curtain, so may we see the Will by watching it as it
presses up against the living curtain of the forms of life. There was a
play presented on the American stage a few years ago, in which one of
the scenes pictured the place of departed spirits according to the
Japanese belief. The audience could not see the actors representing the
spirits, but they could see their movements as they pressed up close to
a thin silky curtain stretched across the stage, and their motions as
they moved to and fro behind the curtain were plainly recognized. The
deception was perfect, and the effect was startling. One almost
believed that he saw the forms of formless creatures. And this is what
we may do in viewing the operation of the Creative Will--we may take a
look at the moving form of the Will behind the curtain of the forms of
the manifestation of life. We may see it pressing and urging here, and
bending there--building up here, and changing there--always acting,
always moving, striving, doing, in response to that insatiable urge and
craving, and longing of its inner desire. Let us take a few peeps at
the Will moving behind the curtain!

Commencing with the cases of the forming of the crystals, as spoken of
in our last lesson, we may pass on to plant life. But before doing so,
it may be well for us to take a parting look at the Will manifesting
crystal forms. One of the latest scientific works makes mention of the
experiments of a scientist who has been devoting much attention to the
formation of crystals, and reports that he has noticed that certain
crystals of organic compounds, instead of being built up symmetrically,
as is usual with crystals, were "enation-morphic," that is, opposed to
each other, in rights and lefts, like hands or gloves, or shoes, etc.
These crystals are never found alone, but always form in pairs. Can you
not see the Will behind the curtain here?

Let us look for the Will in plant-life. Passing rapidly over the
wonderful evidences in the cases of the fertilization of plants by
insects, the plant shaping its blossom so as to admit the entrance of
the particular insect that acts as the carrier of its pollen, think for
a moment how the distribution of the seed is provided for. Fruit trees
and plants surround the seed with a sweet covering, that it may be
eaten by insect and animal, and the seed distributed. Others have a
hard covering to protect the seed or nut from the winter frosts, but
which covering rots with the spring rains and allows the germ to
sprout. Others surround the seed with a fleecy substance, so that the
wind may carry it here and there and give it a chance to find a home
where it is not so crowded. Another tree has a little pop-gun
arrangement, by means of which it pops its seed to a distance of
several feet.

Other plants have seeds that are covered with a burr or "sticky"
bristles, which enables them to attach themselves to the wool of sheep
and other animals, and thus be carried about and finally dropped in
some spot far away from the parent plant, and thus the scattering of
the species be accomplished. Some plants show the most wonderful plans
and arrangements for this scattering of the seed in new homes where
there is a better opportunity for growth and development, the
arrangements for this purpose displaying something very much akin to
what we would call "ingenuity" if it were the work of a reasoning mind.
There are plants called cockle-burs whose seed-pods are provided with
stickers in every direction, so that anything brushing against them is
sure to pick them up. At the end of each sticker is a very tiny hook,
and these hooks fasten themselves tightly into anything that brushes
against it, animal wool, hair, or clothing, etc. Some of these seeds
have been known to have been carried to other quarters of the globe in
wool, etc., there to find new homes and a wider field.

Other plants, like the thistle, provide their seed with downy wings, by
which the wind carries them afar to other fields. Other seeds have a
faculty of tumbling and rolling along the ground to great distances,
owing to their peculiar shape and formation. The maple provides its
seed with a peculiar arrangement something like a propeller screw,
which when the wind strikes the trees and looses the seed, whirls the
latter through the air to a distance of a hundred yards or more. Other
seeds are provided with floating apparatus, which enables them to
travel many miles by stream or river, or rain washes. Some of these not
only float, but actually swim, having spider-like filaments, which
wriggle like legs, and actually propel the tiny seed along to its new
home. A recent writer says of these seeds that "so curiously lifelike
are their movements that it is almost impossible to believe that these
tiny objects, making good progress through the water, are really seeds,
and not insects."

The leaves of the Venus' Fly-trap fold upon each other and enclose the
insect which is attracted by the sweet juice on the leaf, three
extremely sensitive bristles or hairs giving the plant notice that the
insect is touching them. A recent writer gives the following
description of a peculiar plant. He says: "On the shores of Lake
Nicaragua is to be found an uncanny product of the vegetable kingdom
known among the natives by the expressive name of 'the Devil's Noose.'
Dunstan, the naturalist, discovered it long ago while wandering on the
shores of the lake. Attracted by the cries of pain and terror from his
dog, he found the animal held by black sticky bands which had chafed
the skin to bleeding point. These bands were branches of a
newly-discovered carnivorous plant which had been aptly named the 'land
octopus.' The branches are flexible, black, polished and without
leaves, and secrete a viscid fluid."

You have seen flowers that closed when you touched them. You remember
the Golden Poppy that closes when the sun goes down. Another plant, a
variety of orchid, has a long, slender, flat stem, or tube, about
one-eighth of an inch thick, with an opening at the extreme end, and a
series of fine tubes where it joins the plant. Ordinarily this tube
remains coiled up into a spiral, but when the plant needs water (it
usually grows upon the trunks of trees overhanging swampy places) it
slowly uncoils the little tube and bends it over until it dips into the
water, when it proceeds to suck up the water until it is filled, when
it slowly coils around and discharges the water directly upon the
plant, or its roots. Then it repeats the process until the plant is
satisfied. When the water is absent from under the plant the tube moves
this way and that way until it finds what it wants--just like the trunk
of an elephant. If one touches the tube or trunk of the plant while it
is extended for water, it shows a great sensitiveness and rapidly coils
itself up. Now what causes this life action? The plant has no brains,
and cannot have reasoned out this process, nor even have acted upon
them by reasoning processes. It has nothing to think with to such a
high degree. It is the Will behind the curtain, moving this way and
that way, and doing things.

There was once a French scientist named Duhamel. He planted some beans
in a cylinder--something like a long tomato can lying on its side. He
waited until the beans began to sprout, and send forth roots downward,
and shoots upward, according to nature's invariable rule. Then he moved
the cylinder a little--rolled it over an inch or two. The next day he
rolled it over a little more. And so on each day, rolling it over a
little each time. Well, after a time Duhamel shook the dirt and growing
beans out of the cylinder, and what did he find? This, that the beans
in their endeavor to grow their roots downward had kept on bending each
day downward; and in their endeavor to send shoots upward, had kept on
bending upward a little each day, until at last there had been formed
two complete spirals--the one spiral being the roots ever turning
downward, and the other the shoots ever bending upward. How did the
plant know direction? What was the moving power. The Creative Will
behind the curtain again, you see!

Potatoes in dark cellars have sent out roots or sprouts twenty and
thirty feet to reach light. Plants will send out roots many feet to
reach water. They know where the water and light are, and where to
reach them. The tendrils of a plant know where the stake or cord is,
and they reach out for it and twine themselves around it. Unwind them,
and the next day they are found again twined around it. Move the stake
or cord, and the tendril moves after it. The insect-eating plants are
able to distinguish between nitrogenous and non-nitrogenous food,
accepting the one and rejecting the other. They recognize that cheese
has the same nourishing properties as the insect, and they accept it,
although it is far different in feeling, taste, appearance and every
other characteristic from their accustomed food.

Case after case might be mentioned and cited to show the operation of
the Will in plant-life. But wonderful as are many of these cases, the
mere action of the Will as shown in the _growing_ of the plant is just
as wonderful. Just imagine a tiny seed, and see it sprout and draw to
itself the nourishment from water, air, light and soil, then upward
until it becomes a great tree with bark, limbs, branches, leaves,
blossoms, fruit and all. Think of this miracle, and consider what must
be the power and nature of that Will that causes it.

The growing plant manifests sufficient strength to crack great stones,
and lift great slabs of pavement, as may be noticed by examining the
sidewalks of suburban towns and parks. An English paper prints a report
of four enormous mushrooms having lifted a huge slab of paving stone in
a crowded street overnight. Think of this exhibition of Energy and
Power. This wonderful faculty of exerting force and motion and energy
is fundamental in the Will, for indeed every physical change and growth
is the result of motion, and motion arises only from force and
pressure. Whose force, energy, power and motion? The Will's!

On all sides of us we may see this constant and steady urge and
pressure behind living forces, and inorganic forms as well--always a
manifestation of Energy and Power. And all this Power is in the
Will--and the Will is but the manifestation of the All-Power--the
Absolute. Remember this.

And this power manifests itself not only in the matter of growth and
ordinary movements, but also in some other ways that seem quite
mysterious to even modern Science. How is it that certain birds are
able to fly directly against a strong wind, without visible movement of
their wings? How do the buzzards float in the air, and make speed
without a motion of the wing? What is the explanation of the movements
of certain microscopic creatures who lack organs of movement? Listen to
this instance related by the scientist Benet. He states that the
Polycystids have a most peculiar manner of moving--a sort of sliding
motion, to the right or left, upward, backward, sideways, stopping and
starting, fast or slow, as it wills. It has no locomotive organs, and
no movement can be seen to take place in the body from within or
without. It simply slides. How?

Passing on to the higher animal life--how do eggs grow into chickens?
What is the power in the germ of the egg? Can the germ think, and plan,
and move, and grow into a chicken? Or is the Will at work there? And
what is true in this case, is true of the birth and growth of all
animal life--all animal life develops from a single germ cell. How, and
Why?

There is a mental energy resident in the germ cell--of this there can
be no doubt. And that mental energy is the Creative Will ever
manifesting. Listen to these words from Huxley, the eminent scientist.
He says:

"The student of Nature wonders the more and is astonished the less, the
more conversant he becomes with her operations; but of all the
perennial miracles she offers to his inspection, perhaps the most
worthy of his admiration is the development of a plant or of an animal
from its embryo. Examine the recently laid egg of some common animal,
such as a salamander or a newt. It is a minute spheroid in which the
best microscope will reveal nothing but a structureless sac, enclosing
a glairy fluid, holding granules in suspension. But strange
possibilities lie dormant in that semi-fluid globule. Let a moderate
supply of warmth reach its watery cradle, and the plastic matter
undergoes changes so rapid, and so purposelike in their succession,
that one can only compare them to those operated by a skilled modeller
upon a formless lump of clay. As with an invisible trowel, the mass is
divided and subdivided into smaller and smaller portions, until it is
reduced to an aggregation of granules not too large to build withal the
finest fabrics of the nascent organism. And, then, it is as if a
delicate finger traced out the line to be occupied by the spinal
column, and moulded the contour of the body; pinching up the head at
one end, the tail at the other, and fashioning flank and limb into due
salamanderine proportions, in so artistic a way that, after watching
the process hour by hour, one is almost involuntarily possessed by the
notion that some more subtle aid to vision than the achromatic lens
would show the hidden artist, with his plan before him, striving with
skilful manipulation to perfect his work.

"As life advances and the young amphibian ranges the waters, the terror
of his insect contemporaries, not only are the nutritious particles
supplied by its prey (by the addition of which to its frame growth
takes place) laid down, each in its proper spot, and in due proportion
to the rest, as to reproduce the form, the color, and the size,
characteristic of the parental stock; but even the wonderful powers of
reproducing lost parts possessed by these animals are controlled by the
same governing tendency. Cut off the legs, the tail, the jaws,
separately or all together, and as Spallanzani showed long ago, these
parts not only grow again, but the new limb is formed on the same type
as those which were lost. The new jaw, or leg, is a newt's, and never
by any accident more like that of a frog's."

In this passage from Huxley one may see the actual working of the
Creative Will of the Universe,--moving behind the curtain--and a very
thin curtain at that. And this wonderful work is going on all around
us, all the time. Miracles are being accomplished every second--they
are so common that we fail to regard them.

And in our bodies is the Will at work? Most certainly. What built you
up from single cell to maturity? Did you do it with your intellect? Has
not every bit of it been done without your conscious knowledge? It is
only when things go wrong, owing to the violation of some law, that you
become aware of your internal organs. And, yet, stomach and liver, and
heart and the rest have been performing their work steadily--working
away day and night, building up, repairing, nourishing, growing you
into a man or woman, and keeping you sound and strong. Are you doing
this with your reason or with your personal will? No, it is the great
Creative Will of the Universe, Universe,--the expression of the purpose
and power of the One, working in and through you. It is the One Life
manifesting in you through its Creative Will.

And not only is this all. The Creative Will is all around us in every
force, energy and principle. The force that we call mental power is the
principle of the Will directed by our individual minds. In this
statement we have a hint of the great mystery of Mental Force and
Power, and the so-called Psychic Phenomena. It also gives us a key to
Mental Healing. This is not the place to go into detail regarding these
phases--but think over it a bit. This Will Power of the Universe, in
all of its forms and phases, from Electricity to Thought-power, is
always at the disposal of Man, within limits, and subject always to the
laws of the Creative Will of the Universe. Those who acquire an
understanding of the laws of any force may use it. And any force may be
used or misused.

And the nearer in understanding and consciousness that we get to the
One Life and Power, the greater will be our possible power, for we are
thus getting closer and closer to the source of All Power. In these
lessons we hope to be able to tell you how you may come into closer
touch with this One Life of which you and all living things are but
forms, shapes and channels of expression, under the operation of the
Creative Will.

We trust that this lesson may have brought to your minds the
realization of the Oneness of All--the fact that we are all parts of
the one encircling unity, the heart-throbs and pulsations of which are
to be felt even to the outer edge of the circle of life--in Man, in
Monad, in Crystal, in Atom. Try to feel that inner essence of Creative
Will that is within yourselves, and endeavor to realize your complete
inner unity in it, with all other forms of life. Try to realize, as
some recent writer has expressed it, "that all the living world is but
mankind in the making, and that we are but part of the All." And also
remember that splendid vistas of future unfoldment spread themselves
out before the gaze of the awakened soul, until the mind fails to grasp
the wondrous sight.

We will now close this lesson by calling your attention to its


CENTRAL THOUGHT.

There is but One Power in the Universe--One Energy--One Force. And that
Power, Energy and Force is a manifestation of the One Life. There can
be no other Power, for there is none other than the One from whom Power
may come. And there can be no manifestation of Power that is not the
Power of the One, for no other Power can be in existence. The Power of
the One is visible in its manifestations to us in the natural laws and
forces of Nature--which we call the Creative Will. This Creative Will
is the inner moving power, urge and pressure behind all forms and
shapes of Life. In atom, and molecule; in monad, in cell, in plant, in
fish, in animal, in man,--the Life Principle or Creative Will is
constantly in action, creating, preserving, and carrying on life in its
functions. We may call this Instinct or Nature, but it is the Creative
Will in action. This Will is back of all Power, Energy, or Force--be it
physical, mechanical or mental force. And all Force that we use,
consciously or unconsciously, comes from the One Great Source of Power.
If we could but see clearly, we would know that back of us is the Power
of the Universe, awaiting our intelligent uses, under the control of
the Will of the All. There is nothing to be afraid of, for we are
manifestations of the One Life, from which all Power proceeds, and the
Real Self is above the effect, for it is part of the Cause. But over
and above--under and behind--all forms of Being, Matter, Energy, Force
and Power, is the ABSOLUTE--ever Calm; ever Peaceful; ever Content. In
knowing this it becomes us to manifest that spirit of absolute Trust,
Faith and Confidence in the Goodness and Ultimate Justice of That which
is the only Reality there is.

Peace be with you.




THE FOURTH LESSON


THE UNITY OF LIFE.

In our First Lesson of this series we spoke of the One Reality
underlying all Life. This One Reality was stated to be higher than mind
or matter, the nearest term that can be applied to it being "Spirit."
We told you that it was impossible to explain just what "Spirit" is,
for we have nothing else with which to compare or describe it, and it
can be expressed only in its own terms, and not in the terms applicable
to its emanations or manifestations. But, as we said in our First
Lesson, we may think of "Spirit" as meaning the "essence" of Life and
Being--the Reality underlying Universal Life, and from which the latter
emanates.

In the Second Lesson we stated that this "Spirit," which we called "The
Absolute," expressed itself in the Universal Life, which Universal Life
manifested itself in countless forms of life and activity. In the same
lesson we showed you that the Universe is alive--that there is not a
single dead thing in it--that there can be no such thing as a dead
object in the Universe, else the theory and truth of the One underlying
Life must fall and be rejected. In that lesson we also showed you that
even in the world of inorganic things there was ever manifest life--in
every atom and particle of inorganic matter there is the universal life
energy manifesting itself, and in constant activity.

In the Third Lesson, we went still further into this phase of the
general subject, and showed you that the Creative Will--that active
principle of the Universal Life--was ever at work, building up new
forms, shapes and combinations, and then tearing them down for the
purpose of rebuilding the material into new forms, shapes, and
combinations. The Creative Will is ever at work in its threefold
function of creating, preserving and destroying forms--the change,
however, being merely in the shape and form or combination, the real
substance remaining unchanged in its inner aspect, notwithstanding the
countless apparent changes in its objective forms. Like the great ocean
the depths of which remain calm and undisturbed, and the real nature of
which is unchanged in spite of the waves, and billows of surface
manifestation, so does the great ocean of the Universal Life remain
unchanged and unaltered in spite of the constant play of the Creative
Will upon the surface. In the same lesson we gave you many examples of
the Will in action--of its wondrous workings in the various forms of
life and activity--all of which went to show you that the One Power was
at work everywhere and at all times.

In our next lesson--the Fifth Lesson--we shall endeavor to make plain
to you the highest teachings of the Yogi Philosophy regarding the One
Reality and the Many Manifestations--the One and the Many--how the One
apparently becomes Many--that great question and problem which lies at
the bottom of the well of truth. In that lesson we shall present for
your consideration some fundamental and startling truths, but before we
reach that point in our teachings, we must fasten upon your mind the
basic truth that all the various manifestations of Life that we see on
all hands in the Universe are but forms of manifestation of One
Universal Life which is itself an emanation of the Absolute.

Speaking generally, we would say to you that the emanation of the
Absolute is in the form of a grand manifestation of One Universal Life,
in which the various apparent separate forms of Life are but centers of
Energy or Consciousness, the separation being more apparent than real,
there being a bond of unity and connection underlying all the
apparently separated forms. Unless the student gets this idea firmly
fixed in his mind and consciousness, he will find it difficult to grasp
the higher truths of the Yogi Philosophy. That all Life is One, at the
last,--that all forms of manifestation of Life are in harmonious Unity,
underlying--is one of the great basic truths of the Yogi Teaching, and
all the students of that philosophy must make this basic truth their
own before they may progress further. This grasping of the truth is
more than a mere matter of intellectual conception, for the intellect
reports that all forms of Life are separate and distinct from each
other, and that there can be no unity amidst such diversity. But from
the higher parts of the mind comes the message of an underlying Unity,
in spite of all apparent diversity, and if one will meditate upon this
idea he will soon begin to realize the truth, and will _feel_ that he,
himself, is but a center of consciousness in a great ocean of
Life--that he and all other centers are connected by countless
spiritual and mental filaments--and that all emerge from the One. He
will find that the illusion of separateness is but "a working fiction
of the Universe," as one writer has so aptly described it--and that All
is One, at the last, and underlying all is One.

Some of our students may feel that we are taking too long a path to
lead up to the great basic truths of our philosophy, but we who have
traveled The Path, and know its rocky places and its sharp turns, feel
justified in insisting that the student be led to the truth gradually
and surely, instead of attempting to make short cuts across dangerous
ravines and canyons. We must insist upon presenting our teachings in
our own way--for this way has been tested and found good. We know that
every student will come to realize that our plan is a wise one, and
that he will thank us for giving him this gradual and easy approach to
the wondrous and awful truth which is before us. By this gradual
process, the mind becomes accustomed to the line of thought and the
underlying principles, and also gradually discards wornout mental
sheaths which have served their purposes, and which must be discarded
because they begin to weigh heavily upon the mind as it reaches the
higher altitudes of The Path of Attainment. Therefore, we must ask you
to consider with us, in this lesson, some further teachings regarding
the Unity of Life.

All the schools of the higher Oriental thought, as well as many of the
great philosophical minds of the Western world, have agreed upon the
conception of the Unity of Life--the Oneness of All Life. The Western
thinkers, and many of the Eastern philosophers arrived at this
conclusion by means of their Intellectual powers, greatly heightened
and stimulated by concentration and meditation, which latter process
liberated the faculties of the Spiritual Mind so that it passed down
knowledge to the Intellect, which then seized upon the higher knowledge
which it found within itself, and amplified and theorized upon the
same. But among the Eastern Masters there are other sources of
information open, and from these sources come the same report--the
Oneness and Unity of Universal Life. These higher sources of
information to which we have alluded, consist of the knowledge coming
from those Beings who have passed on to higher planes of Life than
ours, and whose awakened spiritual faculties and senses enable them to
see things quite plainly which are quite dark to us. And from these
sources, also, comes the message of the Oneness of Life--of the
existence of a wonderful Universal Life including all forms of life as
we know it, and many forms and phases unknown to us--many centers in
the great Ocean of Life. No matter how high the source of inquiry, the
answer is the same--"All Life is One." And this One Life includes
Beings as much higher than ourselves, as we are higher than the
creatures in the slime of the ocean-bed. Included in it are beings who
would seem as archangels or gods to us, and they inform that beyond
them are still higher and more radiant creatures, and so on to infinity
of infinities. And yet all are but centers of Being in the One
Life--all but a part of the great Universal Life, which itself is but
an emanation of The Absolute.

The mind of man shrinks back appalled from the contemplation of such
wonders, and yet there are men who dare to attempt to speak
authoritatively of the attributes and qualities of "God," as if He, the
Absolute, were but a magnified man. Verily, indeed, "fools rush in
where angels fear to tread," as the poet hath said.

Those who will read our next lesson and thus gain an idea of the
sublime conception of the Absolute held by the Yogi teachers may
shudder at the presumption of those mortals who dare to think of the
Absolute as possessing "attributes" and "qualities" like unto the
meanest of things in this his emanated Universe. But even these
spiritual infants are doing well--that is, they are beginning to
_think_, and when man begins to _think_ and _question_, he begins to
progress. It is not the fact of these people's immature ideas that has
caused these remarks on our part, but rather their tendency to set up
their puny conceptions as the absolute truth, and then insisting upon
forcing these views upon the outer world of men, whom they consider
"poor ignorant heathen." Permit each man to think according to his
light--and help him by offering to share with him the best that you
possess--but do not attempt to force upon him your own views as
absolute truth to be swallowed by him under threat of damnation or
eternal punishment. Who are you that dares to speak of punishment and
damnation, when the smell of the smoke of the hell of materialism is
still upon your robes. When you realize just what spiritual infants you
still are--the best of you--you will blush at these things. Hold fast
to the best that you know--be generous to others who seem to wish to
share your knowledge--but give without blame or feeling of
superiority--for those whom you teach today may be your teachers
tomorrow--there are many surprises of this kind along The Path. Be
brave and confident, but when you begin to feel puffed up by your
acquirement of some new bit of knowledge, let your prayer--_our_
prayer, for we too are infants--be, "Lord, be merciful unto me, a
fool!"

The above words are for us, the students of the Yogi Philosophy--the
teachers of the same--for human nature is the same in spite of names,
and we must avoid the "vanity of vanities"--Spiritual Pride and
Arrogance--that fault which has sent many a soul tumbling headlong from
a high position on The Path, and compelled it to again begin the
journey, chastened and bruised. The fall of Lucifer has many
correspondences upon the occult plane, and is, indeed, in itself an
allegorical illustration of just this law. Remember, always, that you
are but a Centre in the Ocean of Life, and that all others are Centres
in the same ocean, and that underlying both and all of you is the same
calm bed of Life and Knowledge, the property of all. The highest and
the lowest are part of the same One Life--each of you has the same life
blood flowing through your veins--you are connected with every other
form of life, high or low, with invisible bonds, and none is separate
from another. We are speaking, of course, to the personalities of the
various students who are reading these words. The Real Self of each is
above the need of such advice and caution, and those who are able to
reach the Real Self in consciousness have no need for these words, for
they have outlived this stage of error. To many, the consciousness of
the One Life--the Universal Life--in which all are centres of
consciousness and being--has come gradually as a final step of a long
series of thought and reasoning, aided by flashes of truth from the
higher regions of the mind. To others it has come as a great
illumination, or flash of Truth, in which all things are seen in their
proper relations and positions to each other, and all as phases of
being in the One. The term "Cosmic Consciousness," which has been used
in the previous series of these lessons, and by other writers, means
this sudden flash of "knowing" in which all the illusionary dividing
lines between persons and things are broken down and the Universal Life
is seen to be actually existent as One Life. To those who have reached
this consciousness by either route just mentioned--or by other
routes--there is no sense of loss of individuality or power or
strength. On the contrary there is always a new sense of increased
power and strength and knowing--instead of losing Individuality, there
is a sense of having found it. One feels that he has the whole Universe
at his back, or within him, rather than that he has lost his identity
in the great Ocean of Life.

While we are speaking of this phase of the subject, we should like to
ask you if you have ever investigated and inquired into the real
meaning of the much-used word "Individuality?" Have you ever looked up
its origin and real meaning, as given by the standard authorities? We
are sure that many of you have no real idea of the actual meaning of
the term, as strange as this statement may appear to you at first
glance. Stop now, and define the word to yourself, as you have been
accustomed to think of it. Ninety-five people of a hundred will tell
you that it means something like "a strong personality." Let us see
about this.

Webster defines the word "Individual" as follows: "Not divided, or not
to be divided; existing as one distinct being or object; single; one."
The same authority informs us that the word arises from the Latin word
_individuus_, meaning "indivisible; not divisible." Does not this help
you to gain a clearer idea of the Individuality that knows itself to be
a Centre of Consciousness in the One Life, rather than a separate,
puny, insignificant thing apart from all other centres or forms of
Life, or the source of Life? We think it will help to clear your mind
of some of the fog that has not as yet lifted itself.

And while we are on the subject of definitions, let us take a little
look at the word "Personality," that is generally believed to be a
synonym of "Individuality," and is often so used. Webster tells us that
the word "Person" originated from the Latin word _persona_, meaning "a
mask used by actors," which word in turn arose from two other words,
_per_, meaning "through," and _sonare_, meaning "to sound," the two
combined words meaning "to sound through." The same authority informs
us that the archaic meaning of the word was "a character or part, as in
a play; an assumed character." If you will think of Personality as "a
mask used by an actor," or as "a part in a play," or as something used
to "sound through" or to speak through, by the real Individual behind
the mask of Personality, then perhaps you will see a little further
into the Mystery of Personality and Individuality.

Oh, dear students, be not deceived by the mask of Personality which you
may happen to be wearing at this moment, or by the masks which are worn
by those around you. Realize that back of your mask is the great
Individual--the Indivisible--the Universal Life, in which you are a
centre of consciousness and activity. This does not wipe out your
identity--instead it gives you a greater and grander identity. Instead
of your sinking into a Nirvana of extinction of consciousness, your
consciousness so enlarges as you unfold, that you will in the end feel
your identity to be the identity of the Universe. Instead of your
gaining Nothingness, you gain Allness. All spiritual growth and
unfoldment gives you a constantly increasing sense of relationship
with, and agreement with, the All. You grow into Allness as you unfold.
Be not deceived by this chatter about Nothingness, and loss of
Individuality, in the Oriental thought, although some of the
presentations of its teachings may so seem to mean at first reading.
Remember always that Personality is the mask, and Individuality the
Real One.

You have often heard persons, claiming to be acquainted with the
teachings of Theosophy and other expositions of the Oriental Wisdom
Religion (including our own presentation), asserting that the Oriental
mind was ever bent upon attaining a final stage of Nothingness or
Extinction in Nirvana. In addition to what we have said, and to what we
shall say on this subject, let us quote from the inspired writer of the
"_Secret Doctrine_" (a standard Theosophical work) when she says, in
that work on page 286, Vol. I: "Is this annihilation, as some think?
... To see in Nirvana annihilation, amounts to saying of a man plunged
in a sound, dreamless sleep--one that leaves no impression on the
physical memory and brain, because the sleeper's Higher Self is in its
original state of absolute consciousness during these hours--that he
too is annihilated. The latter simile answers only to one side of the
question--the most material; since reabsorption is by no means such a
dreamless sleep, but, on the contrary, absolute existence, an
unconditional unity, or a state, to describe which human language is
absolutely and hopelessly inadequate... Nor is the individuality--nor
even the essence of the personality, if any be left behind--lost
because re-absorbed." As J. Wm. Lloyd says, in connection with the
above quotation, "This seems conclusive proof that Theosophy does not
regard Nirvana as annihilation, but as an infinite enlargement of
consciousness." And we would add that this is true not only as regards
the Nirvana of the Theosophist, but also of the consciousness of the
Unity of Life--the Universal Life. This too is not annihilation of
individual consciousness, but an "infinite enlargement of
consciousness" as this Western writer Lloyd has so well expressed it.

The very consciousness of Life that every man feels within him, comes
not from something belonging exclusively to himself as a separate or
personal thing. On the contrary, it belongs to his Individuality, not
to his Personality, and is a phase of his consciousness or "awareness"
of his relation to the One Universal Life which underlies his
existence, and in which he is a center of consciousness. Do you grasp
this idea? If not, meditate and concentrate upon it, for it is
important. You must learn to _feel_ the Life within you, and to know
that it is the Life of the great Ocean of Universal Life upon the bosom
of which you are borne as a centre of consciousness and energy. In this
thought there is Power, Strength, Calm, Peace, and Wisdom. Acquire it,
if you are wise. It is indeed a Gift from the Gods.

In this lesson we are not attempting to build up your idea of the Unity
of Life by a series of arguments taken from a world of phenomena in
which separateness and non-Unity is apparent. No such arguments would
suffice, for it would be like trying to prove the existence and laws of
color to a man born blind, by arguments taken from his world of
darkness. On the contrary we are appealing to that region of the mind
in which is stored the capacity for intuitively apprehending truth. We
are endeavoring to speak in tones which will awaken a similar vibration
in that part of your mentality, and if these vibrations be started into
being, then will you be able to _feel_ and _know_ the truth, and then
will your Intellect eagerly seize upon the new idea that it finds
within itself, and will proceed to apply the same to the various
problems that have been bothering you in the past.

This consciousness of Unity must come from the higher regions of the
mind, for the Intellect alone knows it not,--it is out of its field.
Just as one may not know that the earth is round by means of his senses
which report quite the contrary, but may and does know this truth by
abstract reasoning and higher intellectual effort; so may one know the
truth that All Life is indeed One, at the last, and underlying, by the
higher faculties of the mind, although his senses and ordinary
intellectual processes fail to so inform him. The senses cannot inform
man that the earth is round, _because they cannot see it as a whole,
but only in part_--while the higher reasoning faculties are able to
visualize the earth as a whole, and know it must be round. And the
Intellect, in its ordinary field can see only separateness, and cannot
report Oneness, but the Higher Mind sees Life as a Whole, and knows it
to be One. And it is the Higher Mind that we are trying to bring into
the field of consciousness in the appeal to you in this lesson. We
trust that we may be successful--in fact we _know_ that we shall be so,
in many cases, for we know that the field is ready for the sowing of
the seed--and that the call has been heard, and the message passed on
to us to answer the call--else these words would not have been written.

The consciousness of the Unity of Life is something that must be
experienced before the truth may be realized. It is not necessary for
one to wait until he acquire full Cosmic Consciousness before he may
realize, at least partially, the Oneness of All Life, for he may unfold
gradually into the Cosmic Knowing, experiencing at each stage a fuller
conception of the underlying Unity of Life, in which he is a centre of
consciousness and manifestation. But there must be at least a partial
unfoldment before one is able to _feel_ the sense of Unity. To those
who have not unfolded sufficiently to gain at least a glimmering of the
truth, everything appears separate from every other thing, and there is
no Unity of All. It is as if every leaf on a mighty tree were to
consider itself a being separate and distinct from everything else in
the world, failing to perceive its connection with the branch or limb,
and tree, and its unity in being with every other leaf on the tree.
After a bit the unfolding consciousness of the leaf enables it to
perceive the stem that connects it with the twig. Then it begins to
realize certain relationships, and feels its vital connection with the
twig and the few other leaves attached to the same twig. Later on, it
unfolds sufficiently to perceive that certain other leaf-bearing twigs
are connected with the same branch, and it learns to feel its
relationship with all twigs and leaves springing from that branch. Then
again, a little later on, it begins to realize that other branches
spring from the same limb as its branch, and the sense of relationship
and dawning Unity begins to widen still further. And so it goes on,
until at last, the tiny leaflet realizes that the life of the tree is
the life of all of its parts--limbs, branches, twigs, leaves, blossoms,
fruit, seed, etc., and that it, itself, is but a centre of expression
in the One Life of the tree. Does the leaf feel less important and real
from this discovery? We should say assuredly not, for it must feel that
behind its tiny form and limited strength is the strength and vitality
of the entire organism of the tree. It must know that the tree is ever
at work extracting nourishment from the earth, air, and water, and
transmitting that nourishment to its every part, including our little
friend the leaflet. It knows that the sap will rise in the Spring to
renew the manifestations of life, and it knows that although its leafy
form may wither and die, still the essence of its life--its real
Life--does not die but remains ever active and strong awaiting its
chance for future expression and re-embodiment. Of course this figure
of the leaf and the tree fails us if we attempt to carry it very far,
but it will give us at least a partial idea of the relationship between
the life of the person, and the One Life.

Some of the Oriental teachers have illustrated this idea to their
students by various familiar examples and figures of speech. Some bid
the student hold up his hand, and then point out to him that each
finger is apparently separate and distinct if one does not look down to
where it joins the hand. Each finger, if it had consciousness, might
well argue that it was a separate individual, having no relationship
with any other finger. It might prove this to its own satisfaction, and
to that of its listeners, by showing that it could move itself without
stirring the other fingers. And so long as its consciousness was
confined to its upper two joints it would remain under the illusion of
separateness. But when its consciousness at last permeated the depths
of its being, it would find that it emerged from the same hand from
which also sprung the other fingers, and that its real life and power
was vested in the hand rather than in itself, and that although
apparently separate and independent, it was really but a part of the
hand. And when its consciousness, through the consciousness of the
hand, broadened and widened, it would perceive its relationship with,
and interdependence with, the whole body, and would also recognize the
power of the brain, and its mighty Will.

Another favorite illustration of the Eastern teachers is the stream of
water flowing over a rocky bed. They point to the stream before it
comes to a rocky place, and show the _chela_ (student) that it is One.
Then they will move a little way down the stream and show him how the
rocks and stones divide the stream into countless little streams, each
of which might imagine itself a separate and distinct stream, until
later on it again joins the main united stream, and finds that it was
but a form of expression of the One.

Another illustration that is frequently used by the teachers, is that
which bids the student consider himself as a minute cell, or
"little-life" as the Hindus call it, in a body. It may be a cell in the
blood performing the office of a carrier or messenger, or it may be a
working cell in one of the organs of the body; or it may be a thinking
cell in the brain. At any rate, the cell manifests capacity for
thought, action and memory--and a number of secondary attributes quite
wonderful in the way. (See "_Hatha Yoga_," Chapter XVIII.) Each cell
might well consider itself as a separate individual--in a certain sense
it _does_. It has a certain degree of something akin to consciousness,
enabling it to perform its work correctly and properly, and is called
upon at times to manifest something like judgment. It may well be
excused for thinking of itself as a "person" having a separate life.
The analogy between its illusions and that of the man when seen by a
Master, is very close. But we know that the life of the cell is merely
a centre of expression of the life of the body--that its consciousness
is merely a part of the consciousness of the mind animating the body.
The cell will die and apparently perish, but the _essence_ of it will
remain in the life of the person whose body it occupied, and nothing
really dies or perishes. Would the cell feel any less real if it knew
that behind its Personality as a cell, there was the Individuality of
the Man--that its Real Self was the Man, not the cell? Of course, even
this figure of speech can be carried only so far, and then must stop,
for the personality of the man, when it is dissolved, leaves behind it
an essence which is called Character, which becomes the property of the
Ego and which accompanies it into after life according to the Law of
Karma, of which we shall speak in future lessons. But back even of
these attributes of Personality, is the Ego which exists in spite of
Personality, and lives on and on throughout many Personalities, and yet
learning the lessons of each, until at last it rises above Personality
and enters into higher sphere of Knowing and Being.

Still another favorite illustration of the Hindu teachers is that of
the sun beating down upon the ocean and causing a portion of the water
to rise in the form of vapor. This vapor forms clouds which spread all
over the earth, and which eventually condense in the form of rain
drops, dew, etc. This rain and dew form streams, rivers, etc., and
sooner or later every drop finds its way back to Mother Ocean which is
its Real Self. Separate though the dewdrop be, yet it is a part of the
Ocean, no matter how far distant it may be, and the attraction of the
Ocean will surely, and without fail, draw it back to its bosom. And the
dewdrop, if it could know the truth, would be so much happier and
stronger, and braver if it could know that it was superior to accident,
time and space, and that it could not escape its own good, and that
nothing could prevent its final triumph and victory when at last "the
dewdrop glides into the shining sea." How cheerfully it could have met
its many changes of form. and the incidents of its journey, if it could
have gotten rid of the illusion of separateness, and knew that instead
of being a tiny insignificant dewdrop it was a part of the Mighty
Ocean--in fact that its Real Self was that Ocean itself--and that the
Ocean was continually drawing it toward it, and that the many changes,
up and down, were in response to that mighty power of attraction which
was slowly but irresistibly drawing it back Home to Rest, Peace, and
Power.

As valuable as are all these illustrations, examples, and figures of
speech, still all must of necessity fall short of the truth in the case
of the Soul of Man--that wondrous something which has been built up by
the Absolute after aeons and aeons of time, and which is destined to
play an important part in the great Cosmic Drama which it has pleased
the Absolute to think into existence. Drawing its Life from the
Universal Life, it has the roots of its being still further back in the
Absolute itself, as we shall see in the next lesson. Great and
wonderful is it all, and our minds are but illy fitted to receive the
truth, and must be gradually accustomed to the glare of the Sun. But it
will come to all--none can escape his glorious destiny.

The Oriental writings are full of allusions to the underlying Oneness,
in fact the entire Oriental philosophies rest upon it. You may find it
everywhere if you will but look for it. The experience of Cosmic
Consciousness, which is naught but a sudden or gradual "awareness" of
the underlying Unity of Life, is evidenced everywhere in the
_Upanishads_, that wonderful series of teachings in the Hindu classics.
Every writer in the collection gives his evidence regarding this
awareness of Unity and Oneness, and the experiences and mental
characteristics arising from the same. The following quotations will
give an idea of the prevalence of this thought:

"He that beholds all beings in the Self, and the Self in all things, he
never turns away from it."

"When to a man who understands, the Self has become all things, what
sorrow, what trouble, can there be to him who once beheld that unity."

The Hindu father explains to his son that the One Life is in all forms
and shapes, points out object after object, saying to the boy: "_Tat
tuam asi_, Thou art that; That thou art."

And the Mystics have added their testimony to that of others who have
experienced this consciousness. Plotinus said: "Knowledge has three
degrees: opinion, science, and illumination. The last is absolute
knowledge founded upon the identity of the knowing mind with the known
object."

And Eckhardt, the German mystic, has told his pupils that: "God is the
soul of all things. He is the light that shines in us when the veil is
rent."

And Tennyson, in his wonderful verse describing the temporary lifting
of the veil for him, has described a phase of Cosmic Consciousness in
the following words:

     "For knowledge is the swallow on the lake
     That sees and stirs the surface-shadow there,
     But never yet hath dippt into the abysm,
     The Abysm of all Abysms, beneath, within
     The blue of sky and sea, the green of earth,
     And in the million-millionth of a grain
     Which cleft and cleft again for evermore
     And ever vanishing, never vanishes. . .

     And more, my son, for more than once when I
     Sat all alone, revolving in myself
     That word which is the symbol of myself,
     The mortal symbol of the Self was loosed,
     And past into the Nameless, as a cloud
     Melts into Heaven. I touched my limbs, the limbs
     Were strange, not mine--and yet no shadow of doubt,
     But utter clearness, and through loss of Self
     The gain of such large life as matched with ours
     Were Sun to spark, unshadowable in words,
     Themselves but shadows of a shadow-world."

And not only among the mystics and poets is this universal truth
experienced and expressed, but among the great philosophers of all ages
may we find this teaching of the Unity of Life originally voiced in the
_Upanishads_. The Grecian thinkers have expressed the thought; the
Chinese philosophers have added their testimony; the modern
philosophers, Spinoza, Berkeley, Kant, Hegel, Schopenhauer, Hartman,
Ferrier, Royce, although differing widely in their theories, all have
expressed as a fundamental truth the Unity of Life--a One Life
underlying. The basic teachings of the Vedas are receiving confirmation
at the hands of Modern Science, which while calling itself
Rationalistic and inclining to a Materialistic conception of the
Universe, still finds itself compelled to say, "At the last, All is
One."

And in nearly every human soul there is a secret chamber in which the
text of this knowledge lies hidden, and in the rare moments in which
the chamber door is opened in response to poetry, music, art, deep
religious feeling, or those unaccountable waves of uplift that come to
all, the truth is recognized for the moment and the soul feels at peace
and is content in the feeling that it is at harmony with the All. The
sense of Beauty, however expressed, when keenly experienced, has a
tendency to lift us out of our consciousness of separateness into
another plane of mind in which the keynote is Unity. The higher the
human feeling, the nearer is the conscious realization of the
underlying Unity.

This realization of the Unity of Life--the Oneness of Life--the Great
Life--even when but faintly experienced, renders Life quite a different
thing to the person. He feels no longer that he is a mere "part" of
something that may be destroyed--or that he is a tiny personal
something, separate from and opposed to all the rest of the
Universe--but that he is, instead, a Unit of Expression--a Centre of
Consciousness--in the Great One Life. He realizes that he has the
Power, and Strength, and Life, and Wisdom of the Whole back of him,
upon which he may learn to draw as he unfolds. He realizes that he is
at Home, and that he cannot be thrust out, for there is no outside of
the All. He feels within himself the certainty of infinite Life and
being, for his Life is the all Life, and that cannot die. The petty
cares, and worries, and griefs, and pains of everyday personal life are
seen for what they are, and they cease to threaten and dominate him as
of old. He sees the things of personality as merely the costume and
trappings of the part in the play of life that he is acting out, and he
knows that when he discards them he will still be "I."

When one really feels the consciousness of the One Life underlying, he
acquires a confident trust and faith, and a new sense of freedom and
strength comes to him, for is he not indeed delivered from the bondage
of fear that has haunted him in his world of separateness. He feels
within him the spiritual pulse of the Universal Life, and at once he
thrills with a sense of new-found power and being. He becomes
reconciled with Life in all its phases, for he knows these things as
but temporary phases in the working out of some great Universal plan,
instead of things permanent and fixed and beyond remedy. He begins to
feel the assurance of Ultimate Justice and God, and the old ideas of
Injustice and Evil begin to fade from him. He who enters into the
consciousness of the Universal Life, indeed enters into a present
realization of the Life Everlasting. All fear of being "lost" or
"eternally damned" fades away, and one instinctively realizes that he
is "saved" because he is of the One Life and cannot be lost. All the
fear of being lost arises from the sense of illusion of separateness or
apartness from the One Life. Once the consciousness of Unity is gained,
fear drops from the soul like a wornout garment.

When the idea and consciousness of the Unity takes possession of one,
he feels a new sense of cheerfulness and optimism entirely different
from any other feeling that he has ever experienced. He loses that
distrust and hardness which seems to cling to so many in this age who
have arrived at the Intellectual stage of development, and have been
unable to progress further. A new sense of peace and harmony comes to
one, and illuminates his entire character and life. The bitterness
engendered by the illusion of separateness is neutralized by the
sweetness of the sense of Unity. When one enters into this
consciousness he finds that he has the key to many a riddle of life
that has heretofore perplexed him. Many dark corners are
illuminated--many hard sayings are made clear. Paradoxes become
understandable truths, and the pairs of opposites that dwell in all
advanced intellectual conceptions, seem to bend around their ends and
form themselves into a circle.

To the one who understands the Unity, all Nature seems akin and
friendly. There is no sense of antagonism or opposition--everything is
seen to fit into its place, and work out its appointed task in the
Universal plan. All Nature is seen to be friendly, when properly
understood, and Man regains that sense of harmonious environment and
at-home-ness that he lost when he entered the stage of
self-consciousness. The lower animal and the children feel this Unity,
in their poor imperfect way, but Man lost this Paradise when he
discovered Good and Evil. But Paradise Lost becomes Paradise Regained
when Man enters into this new stage of consciousness. But unlike the
animal or child, which instinctively feels the Unity, the awakened soul
of man possesses the Unity consciousness, coupled with intelligent
comprehension, and unfolding spiritual power. He has found that which
he lost, together with the accumulated interest of the ages. This new
kingdom of Consciousness is before the race. All must enter into it in
time--all will enter into it--many are entering into it now, by gradual
stages. This dawning sense of Unity is that which is causing the
spiritual unrest which is now agitating the world, and Which in time
will bring the race to a realization of the Fatherhood of God and the
Brotherhood of Man, and his kinship to Every Living Thing. We are
entering into this new cycle of human unfoldment, and the greatest
changes are before the race. Ye who read these words are in the
foremost ranks of the new dispensation, else you would not be
interested in this subject. You are the leaven which is designed to
lighten the heavy mass of the world-mind. Play well your parts. You are
not alone. Mighty forces and great Intelligences are behind you in the
work. Be worthy of them. Peace be with you.

Carry with you the Central Thought of this lesson:

CENTRAL THOUGHT. _There is but One Life--a Universal Life--in the
world. This One Life is an emanation from the Absolute. It infills all
forms, shapes and manifestations of Life, and is the Real Life that
each imagines to be his personal property. There is but One--and you
are centres of consciousness and expression in that One. There is a
Unity and Harmony which becomes apparent to those who enter into the
consciousness of the One Life. There is Peace and Calm in the thought.
There is Strength and Power in the knowledge. Enter ye into your
Kingdom of Power--possess yourselves of your Birthright of Knowledge.
In the very center of your being you will find a holy of holies in
which dwells the Consciousness of the One Life, underlying. Enter into
the Silence of the Shrine within_.




THE FIFTH LESSON


THE ONE AND THE MANY.

As we have stated in previous Lessons, all philosophies which thinkers
have considered worthy of respect, find their final expression of Truth
in the fundamental thought that there is but _One Reality_, underlying
all the manifold manifestations of shape and form. It is true that the
philosophers have differed widely in their conception of that One, but,
nevertheless, they have all agreed upon the logical necessity of the
fundamental conception that there is, at least, but One Reality,
underlying All.

Even the Materialists have conceded this conclusion, and they speak and
think of a something called "Matter," as the One--holding that,
inherent in Matter, is the potentiality of all Life. The school of
Energists, holding that Matter in itself is non-existent, and that it
is merely a mode of manifestation of a something called "Energy,"
asserts that this something called Energy is One, fundamental, real,
and self-sufficient.

The various forms of Western religious thought, which hold to the
various conceptions of a Personal Deity, also hold to a Oneness,
inasmuch as they teach that in the beginning there was God, only, and
that all the Universe has been _created_ by Him. They do not go into
details regarding this creation, and, unlike the Oriental teachers,
they fail to distinguish between the conception of the _creation of
shape and form_, on the one hand; and the _creation of the substance of
these shapes and forms_, on the other hand. But, even accepting the
premises of these people who hold to the Personal Deity conception, it
will be seen that the Reason requires the acceptance of one or two
ideas, _viz._, (1) That the Deity created the substance of these shapes
and forms from _Nothing_; or else (2) that he created them out of _his
own substance_--out of Himself, in fact. Let us consider, briefly,
these two conceptions.

In the first conception, _i.e._, Creation from Nothing, we are brought
face to face with an impregnable obstacle, inasmuch as the human reason
positively refuses to think of Anything coming from Nothing. While it
is perfectly true that the finite human mind cannot undertake to limit
the powers of the Infinite; or to insist that the possibilities of the
Divine Power must be measured and limited by the finite power of
Man--still it must hearken to the report of its own highest faculties,
and say "I cannot Think it," or else blindly accept the teachings of
other finite minds which are equally unable to "Think it," and which
have no superior sources of information. The Infinite Power has endowed
us with reasoning faculties, and evidently expects us to use them to
their full capacity--else the gift were a mockery. And in the absence
of information from higher sources than the Reason, we must use the
Reason in thinking of this matter, or else refuse to think of it at
all.

In view of the above thought, let us then consider the report of the
Reason, regarding this matter, And then, after having done so, let us
apply the test of this report of the Reason, to the highest teaching of
the Yogi Philosophy, and see how the latter stands the test. And, after
having done this, we will apply the test of the Higher Consciousness to
the same teachings. Remember this always, that while there is knowledge
that transcends Reason--that is knowledge that comes from the Higher
Regions of the Mind--still even such information of the Spiritual Mind
_does not run contrary to Reason_, although it goes beyond it. There is
harmony between the Spiritual Mind and the Highest Reason.

Returning to the consideration of the matter of Creation of Substance
from Nothing, we again assert that _the Reason is unable to think of
the creation of Something from Nothing_. It finds the statement
unthinkable, and contrary to all the laws of thought. It is true that
the Reason is compelled to accept as a final truth, many things that it
cannot _understand_ by reason of its finitude--but this is not one of
them. There is no logical necessity for the Reason to accept any such
conception as this--there is no warrant in the Reason for any such
theory, idea or conclusion. Let us stop here, for a moment, and examine
into this difference--it may help us to think clearer, hereafter.

We find it impossible to _understand_ the fact of the Infinite Being
having always existed--and Being without Cause. We find it impossible
to conceive of the nature of an Eternal, Causeless, and Infinite
Being--to conceive the _nature of_, such a Being, remember.

But, while this is so, still our Reason, by its own laws, compels us to
think that there _must be_ such a Being, so long as we think at all.
For, if we think at all, we _must_ think of there being a Fundamental
Reality--and we _must_ think of that Reality as being without Cause
(because there can be no Cause for the First Cause); and we _must_
think of that Reality as being Eternal (because It could not have
sprung into Being from Nothing, and therefore must have always been);
and we _must_ think of that Reality as Infinite (because there is
nothing outside of Itself to limit It). Think over this statement for a
moment--until you grasp it fully.

But there is no such necessity, or compulsion, in the case of the
question of Creation from Nothingness. On the contrary, the necessity
and compulsion is all the other way. Not only is the Reason unable to
_think of_ Creation from Nothing--not only does all its laws forbid it
to hold such a conception--but, more than this, it finds within itself
a conception, full-grown and potent, which contradicts this idea. It
finds within itself the strong certainty that _Whatever Really Is has
Always Been_, and that all transient and finite shapes, forms, and
manifestations, _must_ proceed from that which is Real, Infinite,
Causeless, and Infinite--and moreover _must be composed of the
substance of that Reality_, for there is nothing else Real from which
they could have been composed; and their composition from Nothing is
unthinkable, for Nothing is Nothing, and always will be Nothing.
"Nothing" is merely a name of denial of existence--an absolute denial
of substantiality of any degree, kind or form--an absolute denial of
Reality. And from such could come only Nothing--from Nothing, Nothing
comes.

Therefore, finding within itself the positive report that All, and
Anything There Is, must be composed of the Substance of the Reality,
the Reason is compelled to think that the Universe is composed of the
Substance of the One Reality--whether we call that One Reality, by the
name of The Absolute; or whether we call it God. _We must believe that
from this Absolute-God all things in the Universe have flown out, or
been emanated, rather than created--begotten, rather than "made."_

This does not mean the Pantheistic idea that the Universe _is_ God--but
rather that God, while existing separate and apart from His Universe,
in his Essence, and Being, is nevertheless _in_ His Universe, and His
Universe _in_ Him. And this, no matter what conception of God or Deity
is had--or whether one thinks of The Absolute as Principle. The Truth
is the same--Truth no matter by what names it is called, or by what
misconception it is surrounded. The Truth is that _One is in All, and
All is in One_--such is the report of the highest Reason of Man--such
is the report of the Illumined--such is the Highest Teachings that have
come down to the race from the great souls that have trodden The Path
of Attainment.

And now let us submit the Yogi Philosophy to these conceptions, and
reports of the Reason. And let us discover just what more the Yogi
Philosophy has to say concerning the _nature of_ the Substance of the
Divine, which infills all Life--and how it solves the Riddle of the
Sphinx, concerning the One in All; and All in One. We hope to show you
that the Riddle is capable of solution, and that the old Yogi teachers
have long ago grasped that for which the human mind has ever sought.
This phase of the Teachings is the highest, and it is usually hinted
at, rather than expressed, in the writings on the subject--owing to
danger of confusion and misconception. But in these Lessons we shall
speak the Truth plainly, and without fear--for such is the Message
which has been given us to deliver to our students--and we will perform
the Right action, leaving the Result, or Fruits of the Action, where it
belongs, according to the higher teachings found in the "_Bhagavad
Gita_," and in the Higher Teachings of the Yogi Philosophy.

The fundamental Truth embedded in the Wisdom-Philosophies of the
East--the Higher Yogi Teachings--is the impregnable doctrine of the One
Self in the many selves--the many selves in the One Self. This
fundamental Truth underlies all the Oriental Philosophies which are
esoteric in their nature.

Notwithstanding the crude and often repulsive conceptions and practices
of the masses of the people who represent the exoteric, or popular,
phase of the teachings (and these two phases are to be found in _all_
regions) still there is always this Inner Doctrine of the One Self, to
be found to those who look for it.

Not only is this true among the Hindus; but even among the Mahommedans,
of all countries, there is an Inner Circle of Mystics, known as the
_Sufis_, holding to this Truth. And the inner teachings of the
philosophies of all ages and races, have held likewise. And the highest
thought of the philosophers of the Western races, has found refuge in
this idea of the Over-soul, or Universal Self. But, it is only among
the Yogis that we find an attempt made to explain the real nature of
the manifestation of the One in Many--the holding of the Many forms in
the One Self.

Before proceeding to the consideration of _how_ the One becomes as
Many, as expounded by the Higher Yogi Teachings, it becomes necessary
to speak of a matter upon which there has been much confusion and
misunderstanding, not only on the part of the students of various
Oriental Philosophies, but also upon the part of some of the teachers
themselves. We allude to the connection between THE ONE--THE
ABSOLUTE--in Its ESSENCE--and that which has been called the One Life;
the Universal Life, etc.

Many writers have spoken of the Universal Life, and The One, as being
identical--but such is a grievous error, finding no warrant in the
Highest Yogi Teachings. It is true that all living forms dwell in, and
are infilled with the Universal Life--that All Life is One. We have
taught this truth, and it is indeed Truth, without qualification. But
there is still a Higher Truth--the Highest Truth, in fact--and that is,
that even this Universal Life is not the One, but, instead, is in
itself a manifestation of, and emanation from, THE ONE. There is a
great difference here---see that you perceive and understand it, before
proceeding further.

THE ONE--THE ABSOLUTE--according to the Highest Teachings, is Pure
Spirit, and not Life, Mind, or Being as we understand them in our
finite and mortal expressions. But, still all Life, Mind, and Being, as
we understand them, spring from, flow from, and emanate from, the
One--and more than this, may be spoken of as _reflections_ of the Life,
Mind, and Being of The One, if we may be permitted to apply the names
of finite manifestations to the Infinite Reality.

So, the Highest Teaching is that the Universal Life infilling all
living things, is not, in itself, the Being and Life of THE ONE--but is
rather a great fundamental emanation of The One, the manner and nature
of which will be spoken of as we proceed. Remember this, please.

Leading up to the Supreme Idea of the One in All--All in One--let us
examine into the report of the Reason upon the _nature of_ the
Substance--the Divine Substance--from which all living forms are
shaped; and from which all that we know as Finite Mind is likewise
composed. _How can these imperfect and finite forms be composed of a
Divine and Perfect Substance?_ This is the question that must occur to
the minds of those who are capable of deep thought on the subject--and
it is a question that must be answered. And it can be answered--and
_is_ answered in the Higher Yogi Philosophy. Let us examine the reports
of the Reason, a little further--then shall we be ready for the
Teachings.

Of what can the Substance of the Infinite be composed? Can it be
Matter? Yes, if you are satisfied with the reasoning of the
Materialists, and cannot see further into the Truth! These teach that
Matter is God, and that God is Matter. But if you be among those who
reject the Materialistic teachings, you will not be satisfied with this
answer. Even if you incline toward a Non-mental Infinite, still if you
are familiar with the results of modern scientific investigation, and
know that Science has seen Matter resolve itself into something like
Electric Energy, you will know that the Truth must lie behind and
beyond Matter.

Then is it Pure Energy? you may ask. Pure Energy? what's that? Can you
think of Energy apart from material manifestation? Have you ever known
of such a thing? Do you not know that even the Electron Theory, which
is attracting the attention of advanced Modern Science, and which holds
that all things are composed of minute particles of Electric Energy,
called Electrons, from which the Atoms are built--do you not know that
even this theory recognizes the necessity of a "something like Matter,
only infinitely finer," which they call the Ether, to enfold the
Electric Energy as a unit--to give it a _body_, as it were? And can you
escape from the fact that the most advanced scientific minds find
confronting them--_the fact that in all Energy, and governing its
actions, there 'is manifested "something like Mind_"?

And does not all this teach thinkers that just as Energy creates from
itself, that which is called Matter, and then uses it as a vehicle of
expression and action--so does this "Something like Mind" create from
itself that which we call Energy, and proceeds to use it, with its
accompanying phase of Matter, for its expression? Does not all advanced
research show us that in all Matter and Energy there are evidences of
the operation of this "Something like Mind"? And if this be so, are we
not justified as regarding Matter and Energy as mere Effects--and to
look to this "Something like Mind" as the more fundamental Substance?
We think so--and Science is beginning to think so, too. And soon will
Science be regarding with the most profound respect, the Metaphysical
axiom that "All is Mind."

You will see by reference to our "_Advanced Course in Yogi Philosophy,
etc._," the general Yogi teachings regarding the Emanation of the One,
known respectively as Mind, Energy, and Matter. You will see that the
Yogis teach that Mind, Energy, and Matter comprise a threefold
emanation of the Absolute. You will also see that it is taught that
Mind was the Parent-Emanation--the Universal Mind; and that the
Universal Energy was the Second-Emanation (proceeding from Mind); and
that the Universal Matter was the Third Emanation (proceeding from
Energy) In the same book you will find that the Teaching is that above
Matter, Energy, and Mind, is the Essence of the Absolute, which is
called Spirit--the nature of which is non-understandable to the mind of
Man, the highest conception of which is the highest manifestation of
itself--Mind. But as we cannot comprehend spirit otherwise, we are
justified in thinking of it as Something like Infinite Mind--Something
as much higher than Finite Mind as that is higher than mere energy.

Now, then--we have seen the folly of thinking of the Divine Substance
as Matter or Energy. And we have come to know it as Spirit, something
like Mind, only infinitely higher, but which still may be thought of in
terms of Infinite Mind, for we can have no higher terms in our thinking
operations. So we may then assume that this Divine Nature or substance
is SPIRIT, which we will think of as Infinite Mind, for want of a
better form of conception.

We have seen the folly of thinking of the Divine Essential Substance as
the Body of God. We have likewise seen the folly of thinking of it as
the Vital Energy of God. And we have found that we could not escape
thinking of it as the Spirit, or infinite Mind of God. Beyond this we
cannot think intelligently.

But do you not see that all this exercise of the Reason has brought us
to the point where we must think that this Divine Substance, which the
Absolute-God uses in the manifestation of Universal Life; the Universe;
and all the forms, and shapes, and manifestations of life and things in
the Universe--this Divine Substance which must be _in_ All Things--and
_in which_ All Things must rest, even as the bubble rests on the
Ocean--that this can be nothing less than Spirit, and that this Spirit
can be thought of only as Infinite Mind?

And, if this be so, then indeed must _All be Mind, and Mind be
All_--meaning, of course, the Infinite Mind, not the finite
manifestation that we _call_ Mind.

Then, if this reasoning has been correct, then must we think that All
Life--all the Universe--Everything except the Absolute itself--_must be
held in the Infinite Mind of the Absolute_!

And, so, by the exercise of our Reason--by listening to, and examining
its reports, we have been brought face to face--eye to eye--heart to
heart--with the Teaching of the Illumined Ones, which has come down to
us as the Highest Teaching of the Yogi Philosophy! For this, indeed, is
the highest conception of Truth in the Yogi Teachings--this, that ALL
MANIFESTATIONS AND EMANATIONS OF THE ABSOLUTE ARE MENTAL CREATIONS OF
THE ABSOLUTE--THOUGHT-FORMS HELD IN THE INFINITE MIND--THE INFINITE
SPIRIT IN THEM--AND THEY IN THE INFINITE SPIRIT. _And that the only
Real Thing about Man is THE SPIRIT involved in the Thought-Form, the
rest is mere Personality, which changes and ceases to be. The Spirit in
the Soul of Man, is the SOUL OF THE SOUL, which is never born; never
changeth; never dieth--this is The Real Self of _Man, in which, indeed,
he is "One with the Father."_

This is the point where the Reasoning Mind of Man has come to a sense
of Agreement with the Highest Yogi Teachings. Let us now pass on to the
Teachings themselves--let us listen to The Message of Truth.

In this consideration of the Highest Yogi Philosophy, and its teaching,
we would again say to our students, that which we said to them in _"The
Advanced Course"_--that we do not attempt to teach the "why" of the
Manifestation of The Absolute, but rest content with delivering the
Message of the Yogi Sages, which deals with the "how." As we stated in
the lessons referred to, we incline to that school of the Higher
Teachings, which holds that the "Why" of the Infinite Manifestation
must, of necessity, rest with the Infinite alone, and that the finite
mind cannot hope to answer the question. We hold that in all the
Universal Mind, or in any of its Mind Manifestations, there is to be
found no answer to this question! Wrapped in the Essence of the
Absolute Spirit, alone, is this Final Answer!

The Sages, and Masters, from their high spiritual points of
observation, possess many truths regarding the "how" side of the
question that would appear almost like Infinite Wisdom itself, compared
with our puny knowledge. But even these great souls report that they do
not possess the answer to the Final Question--the "Why" of the Infinite
Manifestation. And so we may be excused from attempting to answer
it--and without shame or sense of shortcoming do we still say, to this
question, "We do not know!"

In order that the Final Question may be fully understood let us
consider it for a moment. We find the Question arising from the
following condition:

The human Reason is compelled to admit that there is an Infinite,
Eternal, Causeless REALITY underlying all forms of manifestation in the
phenomenal world. It is likewise compelled to admit that this REALITY
must comprise All that Really Is--and that there can be nothing Real
outside of Itself. Arising from this is the Truth, that all forms of
phenomenal manifestation, must emanate _from_ the One Reality, for
there is nothing else Real from which they could emanate. And the
twin-Truth that these forms of manifestation, must also be _in_ the
Being of the One Reality, for there is nowhere outside of the All
wherein they might find a place. So this One Reality is seen to be
"That from which All Things flow"; and "That in which All Things live,
and move and have their being."

Therefore All Things _emanate from_, and are _contained in_ the One
Reality. We shall consider "just how" later on, but the question which
confronts us, and which has been called the "Final Question"--and that
which we pronounce unanswerable--is this: "Why has the Infinite
manifested and emanated Finite forms of being?" You will see the nature
of the question when you stop to consider: (1) The Infinite cannot have
Desire, for that is a Finite quality; (2) It cannot lack anything, for
that would take away from its Infinity; (3) and even if it did lack
anything, from whence could it expect to acquire it; for there is
nothing outside of itself--if It lacks anything, it must continue to
always lack it, for there is no outside source from which It could
obtain anything which it does not already possess. And Desire would be,
of course, a _wanting_ for something which it lacked--so It could not
Desire unless it Lacked--and it would know that Desire would be
hopeless, even if indeed it did Lack.

So you see that if we regard the Infinite Reality as Perfect, we must
drop all ideas of It Desiring or Lacking--and of it Growing or
Improving--or of it obtaining more Power, or Knowledge. These ideas are
ridiculous, for an Absolute, Infinite Reality, must possess
All-Knowledge; All-Power; All-Presence, else it is not Absolute and
Infinite. And, if It does not possess these attributes of Being, then
It can never hope to acquire them, for there is Nowhere from whence
they could be acquired--there is no Source outside of the All-Source. A
Finite Thing, may lack, and desire, and improve and develop, for there
is the Universal Source from which it may draw. But the Infinite has no
Universal Source, for it is Its own Source. Do you see the nature of
the Final Question? If not we will again state it--it is this:

"Why should the Infinite Reality, which possesses all that may be
possessed, and which in itself is the only Source of Things--WHY should
It Desire to manifest a Universe from and within Itself?"

A little consideration will show you that there is no intelligent
answer to the "Why," either in your own minds, or in the writings and
teachings of the greatest minds. The matter is important, to those who
are confronted every day with some of the many attempts to answer this
Final Question--it is well that our students inform them regarding the
futility of such questioning. And with this end in view, we shall
herein give a few of the wise "guesses" at the answer, and our reasons
for considering them inadequate. We ask the student to consider
carefully these remarks, for by so doing he will post himself, and will
be saved much tedious and perplexing wandering along the dangerous
places in the Swamp of Metaphysics, following the will-o'-the-wisp of
Finite Mind masquerading as the Infinite Wisdom! Beware of the False
Lights! They lead to the quagmire and quicksands of thought!

Let us now consider some of these "guesses" at the answer to the Final
Question. Some thinkers have held that the Absolute was bound by a
Divine Necessity to manifest itself as Many. The answer to this is that
the Absolute could not be _bound_ by anything, inner or outer, else it
would not be Absolute and Infinite, but would be Relative and Finite.
Another set of thinkers have held that the Absolute found within itself
a Desire to Manifest as Many. From whence could come such an
action-causing Desire? The Absolute could lack nothing, and there would
be nothing for it to desire to gain, other than that which It already
possessed. One does not desire things one already has, but only what he
lacks.

Another school would tell us that the Infinite wished to _Express_
itself in the phenomenal world. Why? Such a phenomenal world could only
be reflection of Its power, witnessed only by Itself, and could contain
nothing that was not already contained in the All. To what end would
such a wish tend? What would be accomplished or gained? The Infinite
All could not become anything more than It already was--so why the wish
for expression? Some say that the whole phenomenal world is but _Maya_,
or Illusion, and does not exist at all. Then who else than the Infinite
caused the Illusion, and why the necessity? This answer only removes
the question back one point, and does not really answer it. Some would
say that the Universe is the "dream of the Infinite." Can we conceive
the Infinite Being as exercising the finite faculty of "dreaming"--is
not this childish?

Others would have us believe that the Absolute is indulging in a "game"
or "play," when he makes Universes, and those inhabiting them. Can
anyone really believe this of The Absolute--playing like a child, with
men and women, worlds and suns, as Its blocks and tin-soldiers? Why
should the Infinite "play"?--does It need amusement and "fun" like a
child? Poor Man, with his attempts to read the Riddle of the Infinite!

We know of teachers who gravely instruct their pupils in the idea that
the Absolute and Infinite One manifests Universes and Universal Life,
and all that flows from them, because It wishes to "gain experience"
through objective existence. This idea, in many forms has been so
frequently advanced that it is worth while to consider its absurdity.
In the first place, what "experience" could be gained by the Absolute
and Infinite One? What could It expect to gain and learn, that it did
not already know and possess? One can gain experience only from others,
and outside things--not from oneself entirely separated from the
outside world of things. And there would be no "outside" for the
Infinite. These people would have us believe that The Absolute emanated
a Universe from Itself--which could contain nothing except that which
was obtained from Itself--and then proceeded to gain experience from
it. Having no "outside" from which it could obtain experiences and
sentences and sensations, it proceeded to make (from Itself) an
imitation one--that is what this answer amounts to. Can you accept it?

The whole trouble in all of these answers, or attempted answers, is
that the answerer first conceives of the Absolute-Infinite Being, as a
Relative-Finite Man, and then proceeds to explain what this Big Man
would do. This is but an exaggerated form of anthropomorphism--the
conception of God as a Man raised to great proportions. It is but an
extension of the idea which gave birth to the savage conceptions of
Deity as a cruel chief or mighty warrior, with human passions, hates,
and revenge; love, passions, and desires.

Arising from the same cause, and akin to the theories advanced above
are similar ones, which hold that the Absolute cannot dwell alone, but
must forever bring forth souls from Itself--this was the idea of
_Plotinus_, the Greek philosopher. Others have thought that the
Infinite was possessed of such a consuming love, that It manifested
objects upon which it could bestow Its affections. Others have thought
that It was lonesome, and desired companionship. Some have spoken of
the Absolute as "sacrificing" itself, in becoming Many, instead of
remaining One. Others have taught that the Infinite somehow has become
entangled in Its Manifestations, and had lost the knowledge of Its
Oneness--hence their teachings of "I Am God." Others, holding to a
similar idea, tell us that the Infinite is deliberately "masquerading"
as the Many, in order to fool and mystify Itself--a show of Itself; by
Itself, and for Itself! Is not this Speculative Metaphysics run wild?
Can one in calm thought so regard the Infinite and Absolute
Being--All-Wise--Causeless--All-Powerful--All-Present--All-Possessing--
Lacking Nothing--Perfect One--as acting and performing thus, and from
these motives? Is not this as childish as the childishness of the
savage, and barbarians, in their Mumbo-Jumbo conceptions? Let us leave
this phase of the subject.

The Higher Yogi Teachings hold to no such ideas or theories. It holds
that the Answer to the Secret is vested in the Infinite alone, and that
finite "guesses" regarding the "Why" are futile and pitiful. It holds
that while one should use the Reason to the full, still there are
phases of Being that can be considered only in Love, Faith, and
Confidence in THAT from which All Things flow, and in which we live and
move and have our being. It recognizes that the things of the Spirit,
are known by the Mind. It explores the regions of the Universal Mind to
its utmost limits, fearlessly--but it pauses before the Closed Door of
The Spirit, reverently and lovingly.

But, remember this--that while the Higher Yogi Teachings contain no
"guess," or speculative theory, regarding the "Why" of the Divine
Manifestation, still they do not deny the existence of a "Why". In
fact, they expressly hold that the Absolute Manifestation of the Many
is in pursuance of some wondrous Divine Plan, and that the Unfoldment
of the Plan proceeds along well-established and orderly lines, and
according to Law. They trust in the Wisdom and Love of the Absolute
Being, and manifest a perfect Confidence, Trust and Peaceful Patience
in the Ultimate Justice, and Final Victory of the Divine Plan. No doubt
disturbs this idea--it pays no attention to the apparent contradictions
in the finite phenomenal world, but sees that all things are proceeding
toward some far-away goal, and that "All is Well with the Universe".

But they do not think for a moment, or teach in the slightest degree,
that all this Unfoldment, and Plan of the Universe, has for its object
any advantage, benefit or gain to the Absolute--such a thought would be
_folly_, for the Absolute is already Perfect, and Its Perfection cannot
be added to, or taken away from. But they do positively teach that
there is a great beneficial purpose in all the Plan, accruing in the
end to the developed souls that have evolved through the workings of
the plan. These souls do not possess the qualities of the
Infinite--they are Finite, and thus are capable of receiving benefits;
of growing, developing, unfolding, attaining. And, therefore, the Yogis
teach that this building up of Great Souls seems to be the idea of the
Infinite, so far as may be gained from an observation of the Workings
of the Plan. The Absolute cannot _need these_ Great Souls for Its own
pleasure, and therefore their building-up must be for their own
advantage, happiness and benefit.

The Yogis teach, on this subject, that there can be only ONE Real
Perfect Being--Perfect without experience--Perfect from the
Beginning--but only ONE! In other words, they teach that there can be
no such thing as Absolute Perfection, outside of the Absolute
Itself--and that not even the Absolute Being can create another
Absolute Being, for in that case there would be no Absolute Being at
all, but only _two Relative Beings_.

Think over this for a moment, and you will see its truth. The ABSOLUTE
must always be "the One without a Second", as the Yogis express
it--there cannot be _two_ Perfect ones. And so, all Finite Beings,
being Finite, must work their way up toward the plane of Perfection by
The Path of Life, with all of its lessons, tasks, cares, pains, and
strivings. This is the only way open to them--and even the Absolute
cannot have it otherwise, and still be the Absolute. There is a fine
point here--the Absolute is All-Powerful, but even that All-Power is
not sufficient to enable It to destroy Its Absolute Being. And so, you
who have wondered, perhaps you may now understand our words in the
First Lesson of this series, in which we said that the message of the
Absolute to some of the Illumined has been: "All is being done in the
best and only possible way--I am doing the best I can--all is well--and
in the end will so appear."

And, as we also said in that First Lesson: "The Absolute, instead of
being an indifferent and unmoved spectator to its own creation, is a
striving, longing, active, suffering, rejoicing, feeling Spirit,
partaking of the feelings of Its manifestations, rather than callously
witnessing them. It lives in us--with us--through us. Back of all the
pain in the world, may be found a great feeling and suffering love."
And in this thought there is comfort to the doubting soul--peace to the
troubled mind.

In the Sixth Lesson, we shall proceed to deliver to you the further
Message of Truth, concerning "how" the One Absolute manifests Its
Mental Images as Universe; Universal Life; and Forms and Shapes; and
Individualities, and Personalities. We had hoped to include the whole
Message in this Fifth Lesson, but now find that we have merely laid the
steps by which the student may reach the Essential Truth.

But, lest the student may be left in an uncertain state of mind,
awaiting the conclusion of the consideration of the subject--and lest
he may think that we intend teaching him that the Universe, and all in
it, including himself are "Dreams," because we have said that All
Things are Thought-Forms in the Mind of the Absolute--lest this
misunderstanding may arise, we wish to add a few parting words to what
we have said.

We wish to impress upon the mind of the student that though all Things
are but Thought-Forms in the Mind of the Absolute Being, and that while
it is true that the entire Universe of Universes is simply a
Thought-Form held in the Mind of the Absolute--still this fact does not
mean that all Things are "illusions" or "dreams." Remember this, now
and forever, O Student--that that which is held in the Absolute Mind as
a Thought-Form IS, and is all there IS, outside of the Absolute Itself.
When the Absolute forms a Thought-Form, It forms it out of Its own
mental substance--when the Absolute "holds anything in Its Mind," It
holds it in Itself--for the Absolute is ALL-MIND.

The Absolute is not a material Being, from which Material Beings are
created. It is a Spiritual Being--a Being whose Substance is akin to
that which we call "Mind," only raised to Infinity and Absolute
Perfection and Power. And this is the only way it can "create"--by
creating a Thought-Form in Its Mental, or Spiritual Substance. The
faintest "Thought" of the Absolute is more real and durable than
anything that man can create--in fact, man can "create" nothing, for
all the hard and real material he uses in his "creations," such as
steel, diamonds, granite, are but some of the minor Forms, "thought"
into being by the Absolute.

And also remember this, that the Absolute cannot "think" of anything,
without putting Itself in that thing, as its Essence. Just as a man's
Mental Images are not only _in_ his mind, _but his mind is in them,
also_.

Why, you doubting and timorous ones, does not even the finite
"thinking" of Man manifest itself in physical and material changes of
form and shape?--does not a man's every thought actually "create"
physical forms and shapes, in his brain-cells and physical tissue? You
who are reading these words--yea, _while_ you are reading these
words--are "creating" changes of form and shape in your brain-cells,
and physical organism. Your mind is constantly at work, also, in
building up your physical body, along the lines of the Instinctive Mind
(see previous series of lessons)--you are mentally creating in a
miniature universe, every moment of your life. And yet, the idea of the
Absolute "creating" a Universe by pure Thought, in Its own Mind, and
thereafter causing the work of the Universe to proceed according to
Law, by simply "Willing" it so, causes you to wonder, and perhaps to
doubt.

O, ye of little faith, you would deny to the Absolute even the power
you possess yourself. You plan things in your mind every day, and then
proceed to cause them to appear in material manifestation, and yet you
doubt the ability of the Absolute to do likewise. Why even the poets,
or writers of fiction, create characters in their minds--and these seem
so real, that even you imagine them to be actual entities, and you weep
over their pains, and smile at their joys--and yet all this is on the
finite plane. Why, even the "imaginations" of your petty finite,
undeveloped minds, have sufficient power to make your physical bodies
sick, or well, or even to cause you to "die," from some imagined
ailment. And yet you doubt the power of the Absolute, to "think" things
into being! You tiny students in the great Kindergarten of Life--you
must learn better lessons from your little blocks and games. And you
_will_--this is the Law.

And you who are filled with the sense of your smallness, and
"unreality"--know you that so long as you are "held in the Mind of
God," then so long are you "remembered" by Him. And so long as you are
remembered by Him, no real harm can befall you, and your Reality is
second only to His own. Even though you pass out of your mortal
frame--doth he remember you in His Mind, and keeping you there, he
holds you safe and unharmed. The greatest satisfaction that can come to
one, is to be able to fully realize that he, or she, is held firmly IN
THE MIND OF THE INFINITE BEING. To such comes the knowledge that in
THAT LIFE there can be NO DEATH.

Peace be with you in this Realization. May you make it your own!




THE SIXTH LESSON


WITHIN THE MIND OF THE ONE.

In our last lesson we gave you the Inner Teachings of the Yogi
Philosophy, relating to the real nature of the Universe, and all that
is therein contained. We trust that you have pondered well and
carefully the statements contained in that lesson, for in them is to be
found the essence of the highest Yogi teachings. While we have
endeavored to present these high truths to you in the simplest possible
form, yet unless your minds have been trained to grasp the thought, you
may have trouble in fully assimilating the essence of the teachings.
But, be not discouraged, for your mind will gradually unfold like the
flower, and the Sun of Truth will reach into its inmost recesses. Do
not be troubled if your comprehension seems dull, or your progress
slow, for all things will come to you in time. You cannot escape the
Truth, nor can the Truth escape you. And it will not come to you one
moment sooner than you are ready to receive it, nor will it be delayed
one moment in its coming, when you are ready for it. Such is the Law,
and none can escape it, nor alter it, nor modify it. All is Well, and
All is Under the Law--nothing ever "happens."

To many, the thought that the Universe and all that is therein
contained, are simply "Thought Forms" in the Infinite Mind--Mental
Creations of the Absolute, may seem startling, and a sense of unreality
may pervade one. This is inevitable, but the reaction will come. To
some who have grasped this mighty truth there has come a feeling that
"All is Nothing," which idea is embodied in their teachings and
writings. But this is merely the Negative Phase of the Truth--there is
a Positive Phase which comes as one advances.

The Negative Phase shows us that all that we have considered as real
and permanent--the foundations of the Universe itself--is but a mental
image in the mind of the Absolute, and therefore lacks the fundamental
reality that we had previously associated with it. And realizing this,
we are at first apt to feel that, indeed "all is nothing," and to fall
into a state of apathy, and lack of desire to play our part in the
world. But, then, happily the reaction sets in, sooner or later, and we
begin to see the Positive Phase of the Truth. This Positive Phase shows
us that while all the forms, shapes, and phenomena of the Universe are
but parts of a great show-world, still the _essence of_ all must be
Reality, itself, else there would not be even the "appearance" of a
Universe. Before a thing can be a Mental Image, there must be a Mind to
hold that Mental Image, and a BEING to possess that Mind. And, the very
essence of that BEING must pervade and be immanent in every Image in
that Mind. Just as _You_ are really in your Mental Images, as well as
they in You, so must the Absolute be _in_ Its Mental Images, or
Creations, or Thought Forms, as truly as they are in the Mind of the
Absolute. Do you see this plainly? Think well over it--ponder it
well--for in it lies the Truth.

And so, this Positive Phase of the Truth, is far from depressing--it is
the most stimulating conception one can hold, if he but grasps it in
its entirety and fulness.  Even if it be true that all these shapes,
and forms, and appearances, and phenomena, and personalities, be but
illusion as compared to the inner Reality--what of it? Are you not then
assured that the Spirit within Yourself is the Spirit of the
Absolute--that the Reality within You is the Reality of the
Absolute--that you ARE, because the Absolute IS, and cannot be
otherwise? Does not the Peace, and Calm, and Security, and Bliss that
comes to you with this Realization, far more than counterbalance the
petty nothings that you have discarded? We think that there can be but
one answer to this, when you have fully Realized the Truth.

What gives you the greatest Satisfaction and Content in Life? Let us
see. Well, there is the Satisfaction of Immortality. The human mind
instinctively craves this. Well, what that even the highest finite
conceptions of Future Life have given you, can compare with the
assurance of Actual Being, in and of the Absolute? What are your petty
conceptions of "heavens," "paradises," "happy-hunting-grounds," "divine
regions of the blessed," and the other ideas of the various religious
sects, when compared with the conceptions of your Infinite and Eternal
Existence in Spirit--your relation with The One--that conception of
Infinite Wisdom, Being, and Bliss? When you grasp this truth, you will
see that you are "in Eternity right Now," and are Immortal even this
moment, as you have always been.

Now, what we have said above is not intended to deny the
"heaven-worlds," or planes. On the contrary, you will find much in the
teachings regarding these, which the Yogis enter into with much detail.
But, we mean that back of all the "heavens" and "celestial planes,"
there is a still higher state of being being--the "Absolute Being."
Even the "heavens," and "heaven-worlds," and regions of the _Devas_, or
Archangels, are but relative states--there is a state higher than even
these exalted relative states, and that is the State of the Conscious
Unity and Identity with the One. When one enters into that State, he
becomes more than Man--more than gods--he is then "in the bosom of the
Father."

And now, before proceeding to a consideration of the phenomenal
manifestation of the Absolute--the evolving of the Universe in the
Infinite Mind--we will again call your attention to the fact that
underlies all the Universe of forms, shapes and appearances, and that
is, as we stated in our last lesson:

_All Manifestations and Emanations of the Absolute are Mental Creations
of the Absolute--Thought-Forms held in the Infinite Mind--the Infinite
Spirit in them--and they in the Infinite Spirit. And, the only Real
Thing about Man is the Spirit involved in the Thought-Form--the rest is
mere Personality, which changes and ceases to be. The Spirit in the
Soul of Man, is the Soul of the Soul, which is never born; never
changeth; never dieth--this is The Real Self of Man, in which, indeed,
he is "One with the Father_."

And, now let us consider the Yogi Teachings regarding the creation of
the Universe, and the evolution of the living forms thereon. We shall
endeavor to give you the story as plainly as may be, holding fast to
the main thought, and avoiding the side-paths of details, etc., so far
as is possible.

In the first place, we must imagine ourselves back to the beginning of
a "Day of Brahm,"--the first dawn of that Day, which is breaking from
the darkness of a "Night of Brahm." Before we proceed further, we must
tell you something about these "Days and Nights of Brahm," of which you
have seen much mention in the Oriental writings.

The Yogi Teachings contain much regarding the "Days and Nights of
Brahm;" the "In-breathing and Out-breathing of the Creative Principle;"
the periods of "_Manvantara_," and the periods of "_Pralaya_." This
thought runs through all the Oriental thought, although in different
forms, and with various interpretations. The thought refers to the
occult truth that there is in Cosmic Nature alternate periods of
Activity and Inactivity--Days and Nights--In-breathings and
Out-breathings--Wakefulness and Sleep. This fundamental law manifests
in all Nature, from Universes to Atoms. Let us see it now in its
application to Universes.

At this point we would call the attention of the student that in many
of the presentations of the Hindu Teachings the writers speak as if the
Absolute, _Itself_, were subject to this law of Rhythm, and had Its
Periods of Rest and Work, like Its manifestations. This is incorrect.
The highest teachings do not so hold, although at first glance it would
so appear. The teaching really is that while the Creative Principle
manifests this rhythm, still even this principle, great though it be,
is a manifestation of the Absolute, and not the Absolute itself. The
highest Hindu teachings are firm and unmistakable about this point.

And, another point, in which there is much mistaken teaching. In the
periods of Creative Inactivity in a Universe it must not be supposed
that there is no Activity anywhere. On the contrary, there is never a
cessation of Activity on the part of the Absolute. While it is Creative
Night in one Universe, or System of Universes, there is intense
activity of Mid-Day in others. When we say "The Universe" we mean the
Universe of Solar Systems--millions of such systems--that compose the
particular universe of which we have any knowledge. The highest
teachings tell us that this Universe is but one of a System of
Universes, millions in number--and that this System is but one, in a
higher System, and so on and on, to infinity. As one Hindu Sage hath
said: "Well do we know that the Absolute is constantly creating
Universes in Its Infinite Mind--and constantly destroying them--and,
though millions upon millions of aeons intervene between creation and
destruction, yet doth it seem less than the twinkle of an eye to The
Absolute One."

And so the "Day and Night of Brahm" means only the statement of the
alternating periods of Activity and Inactivity in some one particular
Universe, amidst the Infinite Universality. You will find a mention of
these periods of Activity and Inactivity in the "_Bhagavad Gita_," the
great Hindu epic. The following quotations, and page references, relate
to the edition published by the Yogi Publication Society, which was
compiled and adapted by the writer of these lessons. In that edition of
the "_Bhagavad Gita_," on page 77, you will find these words attributed
to _Krishna_, the Absolute One in human incarnation:

"The worlds and universes--yea, even the world of Brahm, a single day
of which is like unto a thousand _Yugas_ (four billion years of the
earth), and his night as much--these worlds must come and go... The
Days of Brahm are succeeded by the Nights of Brahm. In these Brahmic
Days all things emerge from invisibility, and become visible. And, on
the coming of the Brahmic Night, all visible things again melt into
invisibility. The Universe having once existed, melteth away; and lo!
is again re-created."

And, in the same edition, on page 80, we find these words, attributed
to the same speaker:

"At the end of a _Kalpa_--a Day of Brahm--a period of Creative
Activity--I withdraw into my nature, all things and beings. And, at the
beginning of another _Kalpa_, I emanate all things and beings, and
re-perform my creative act."

We may say here, in passing, that Modern Science now holds to the
theory of periods of Rhythmic Change; of Rise and Fall; of Evolution
and Dissolution.

It holds that, beginning at some time in the past aeons of time, there
was the beginning of an upward or evolutionary movement, which is now
under way; and that, according to the law of Nature, there must come a
time when the highest point will be reached, and then will come the
beginning of the downward path, which in time must come to an end,
being succeeded by a long period of inactivity, which will then be
followed by the beginning of a new period of Creative Activity and
Evolution--"a Day of Brahm."

This thought of this law of Rhythm, in its Universal form, has been
entertained by the thinkers of all times and races. Herbert Spencer
expressly held to it in his "First Principles," expressing it in many
ways akin to this: "Evolution must come to a close in complete
equilibrium or rest;" and again, "It is not inferable from the general
progress towards equilibrium, that a state of universal quiescence or
death will be reached; but that if a process of reasoning ends in that
conclusion, a further process of reasoning points to renewals of
activity and life;" and again, "Rhythm in the totality of
changes--alternate eras of evolution and dissolution." The Ancient
Western Philosophers also indulged in this idea. Heraclitus taught that
the universe manifested itself in cycles, and the Stoics taught that
"the world moves in an endless cycle, through the same stages." The
followers of Pythagoras went even further, and claimed that "the
succeeding worlds resemble each other, down to the minutest detail,"
this latter idea, however--the idea of the "Eternal Recurrence"--while
held by a number of thinkers, is not held by the Yogi teachers, who
teach infinite progression--an Evolution of Evolution, as it were. The
Yogi teachings, in this 

Showing first 200,000 characters. Full text: gutenberg.org/ebooks/13407