We have thought it well to make a
slight change in the arrangement of these lessonsthat is, in the order in
which they should appear. We had contemplated making this Seventh' Lesson a
series of Mental Drills, intended to develop certain of the mental faculties,
but we have decided to postpone the same until a later lesson, believing that
by so doing a more logical sequence or order of arrangement will be preserved.
In this lesson we will tell you of the unfoldment of consciousness in Man, and
in the next lesson, and probably in the one following it, we shall present to
you a clear statement regarding the states of
mind, below and over consciousnessa most wonderful region, we assure
you, and one that has been greatly misunderstood and misinterpreted. This will
lead up to the subject of the cultivation of the various facultiesboth
conscious and outside of consciousness, and the series will be concluded by
three lessons going right to the heart of this part of the subject, and
giving certain rules and instruction calculated to levelop Man's wonderful "thought-machine"
that will be of the greatest interest and importance to all of our
students. When the lessons are concluded
you will see that the present arrangement is most logical and proper.
In this lesson we take up the subject of "The Un-foldment
of Consciousness"a most interesting subject.
Many of us have been in the habit of identify* ing "consciousness"
with mind, but as we proceed with this series of
lessons we will see that that which is called
"consciousness" is but a small portion of the mind of the individual, and even that small part is constantly changing its states, and unfolding new states undreamed
of.
"Consciousness" is a
word we use very often in considering the
science of the Mind. Let us see what it means.
Webster defines it as one's "knowledge of sensations and mental operations, or of what
passes in one's own mind." Halleck defines it as "that undefinable characteristic of mental states which
causes one to be aware of them." But, as Halleck states. "Consciousness
is incapable of definition. To define anything
we are obliged to describe it in terms of something else. And there is nothing else in
the world like consciousness, hence
we can define it only in terms of itself, and that is very much like
trying to lift one's self by one's own boot
straps. Consciousness is one of
the greatest mysteries that confronts us."
Before
we can understand what Consciousness really is, we
must know just what "Mind" really isand that
knowledge is lacking, notwithstanding the many ingenious
theories evolved in order to explain the mystery. The metaphysicians do
not throw much light on the subject, and as
for materialistic science, listen to
what Huxley says: "How it comes about that anything so remarkable as a state of consciousness comes about by the result of irritating nervous
tissue, is just as unaccountable as the appearance of the genii
when Aladdin rubbed his lamp."
To many persons the words "consciousness" and "mental
process," or "thought" are regarded as synonymous. And, in fact, psychologists so held until quite recently. But now it is generally accepted as a fact
that mental processes are not limited to the field of consciousness, and it is
now generally taught that the field of sub-consciousness
(that is, "under" conscious)
mentation, is of a much greater extent than that of conscious mentation.
Not only is it true that the mind can hold in consciousness
but one fact at any one instant, and that, consequently, only a very small
fraction of our knowledge can be in consciousness at
any one moment, but it is also true that the
consciousness plays but a very small part in the
totality of mental processes, or mentation.
The mind is not conscious of the greater portion of
its own activitiesMaudsley says that only ten per
cent comes into the field of consciousness. Taine has stated it in these words: "Of the world which makes up our being,
we only perceive the highest pointsthe lighted up peaks ofa continent whose lower levels remain in the shade."
But it is not our intention to speak of this great subconscious region of
the mind at this point, for we shall have much to do with it later on. It is
mentioned here in order to show that the
enlargement or development of consciousness
is not so much a matter of
"growth" as it is an "unfoldment"not a new creation or enlargement from outside, but rather an
unfoldment outward from within.
From the very beginning of Lifeamong the Particles of Inorganic Substance, may be found traces of something like
Sensation, and response
thereto. Writers have not cared to give
to this phenomenon the name of "sensation," or
"sensibility," as the terms savored
too much of "senses," and "sense-organs." But Modern Science has not hesitated to bestow the
names so long withheld. The most advanced scientific writers do not hesitate to state that in reaction,
chemical response, etc., may be seen indications of rudimentary sensation. Haeckel says: "I cannot imagine the simplest chemical and physical process 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 the qualitative differences in other elements, and experience 'pleasure' or 'revulsion'at
contacts with them, and execute their
specific movements on this
ground." He also speaks of the
sensitiveness of "plasm,"
or the substance of "living bodies," as being "only a superior degree of the general irritability of substance."
Chemical reaction, between atoms, is spoken of by chemists
as a "sensitive" reaction. Sensitiveness is found even in the Particles of Inorganic Substance, and may be regarded as the first glimmerings of thought. Science
recognizes this when it speaks of the
unconscious sensation of the Particles as athesis or "feeling," and the unconscious Will that
responds thereto, as tropesis, or "inclination."
Haeckel says of this that "Sensation
perceives the different qualities of
the stimuli, and feeling the quantity," and also, "We may ascribe the feeling of pleasure and
pain (in the contact with qualitatively differing atoms) to all atoms, and so explain the elective affinity in
chemistry (attraction of loving
atoms, inclination; repulsion of hating atoms, disinclination).
It
is impossible to form a clear or intelligent idea of the
phenomenon of chemical affinity, etc., unless we attribute
to the Atoms something akin to Sensation. It is
likewise impossible to understand the actions of the Molecules,
unless we think of them as possessing something
akin to Sensation. The Law of Attraction is based upon Mental States in
Substance. The response of Inorganic Substance to
Electricity and Magnetism is also another evidence
of Sensation and the response thereto.
In the movements and operations
of crystal-life we obtain
evidences of still a little higher forms of Sensation and response thereto.
The action of crystallization is very near akin to that
of some low forms of plasmic action. In fact, the "missing
link" between plant life and the crystals is claimed
to have been found in some recent discoveries of
Science, the connection being found in certain crystals
in the interior of plants, composed of carbon
combinations, and resembling the inorganic crystals in many
ways.
Crystals grow along certain lines and forms up to a certain
size. Then they begin to form "baby-crystals" on their surfaces, which then take on the growththe processes being
almost analogous to cell-life. Processes akin to
fermentation have been detected among chemicals. In
many ways it may be seen that the beginning of Mental
Life must be looked for among the Minerals and
Particlesthe latter, be it remembered, composing
not only inorganic, but also Organic Substance.
As
we advance in the scale of life, we are met with constantly increasing unfoldment of mentation, the simple giving place
to the complex manifestations. Passing by the simple
vital processes of the monera, or single-celled "things," we notice
the higher forms of cell life, with growing
sensibility or sensation. Then we come to the
cell-groups, in which the individual cells
manifest sensation of a kind, coupled with a community-sensation. Food is
distinguished, selected and captured, and movements
exercised in pursuit of the same. The living thing is beginning to manifest
more complex
mental states. Then the stage of the lower plants is
reached, and we notice the varied phenomena of that
region, evidencing an increased sensitiveness, although
there are practically no signs of special organs
of sense. Then we pass on to the higher plant life, in
which begin to manifest certain "sensitive-cells,"
or groups of such cells, which are rudimentary sense organs. Then the forms of
animal life, and considered with rising degrees of sensations and growing sense
apparatus, or sense organs, gradually unfolding into something like nervous
systems.
Among the lower animal forms there are varying degrees of mentation with accompanying nerve centers
and sense-organs, but little or no signs of consciousness,
gradually ascending until we have dawning
consciousness in the reptile kingdom, etc., and fuller
consciousness and a degree of intelligent thought in the still higher forms, gradually increasing until we reach the plane
of the highest mammals, such as the horse,
dog, elephant, ape, etc., which animals have complex
nervous systems, brains and well developed consciousness. We need not
further consider the forms of mentation in
the forms of life below the Conscious stage, for that would carry us far from
our subject
Among the higher forms of animal life, after a "dawn period" or semi-consciousness, we come to forms of life
among the lower animals possessing a well
developed degree of mental action and Consciousness, the latter being called by
psychologists "Simple Consciousness," but
which term we consider too indefinite, and which we will term
"Physical Consciousness," which
wilt give a fair idea of the thing itself. We use the word "Physical"
in the double sense of "External,"
and "Relating to the material structure of a living being," both of which definitions are found in the
dictionaries. And that is just what
Physical Consciousness really isan
"awareness" in the mind, or a
"consciousness" of the "external" world as evidenced by the senses; and of the "body" of the
animal or person. The animal or person thinking on the plane
of Physical Consciousness (all the higher animals do, and many men seem
unable to rise much higher) identifies itself with the physical body, and is
conscious only of thoughts of that body
and the outside world. It "knows," but not being
conscious of mental operations, or
of the existence of its mind, it does not "know that it knows."
This form of consciousness, while infinitely above the mentation of the
non-conscious plane of
"sansation," is like a different world of thought from the consciousness of the highly developed intellectual man of our age and race.
It is difficult for a man to form an idea of the Physical
Consciousness of the lower animals and savages, particularly as he finds it
difficult to understand his own consciousness except by
the act of being conscious. But observation and reason have given us a fair degree of understanding of what this
Physical Consciousness
of the animal is likeor at least in what respect
it differs from our own consciousness. Let us take a
favorite illustration. A horse standing out in the cold
sleet and rain undoubtedly feels the discomfort,
and possibly pain, for we know by observation that animals
feel both. But he is not able to analyze his
mental states and wonder when his master will come out to himthink how cruel
it is to keep him out of the warm stablewonder
whether he will be taken out in the cold again
tomorrowfeel envious of other horses who are
indoorswonder why he is compelled to be out cold nights,
etc., etc.,in short, he does not think as would a
reasoning man under such circumstances. He is aware of
the discomfort, just as would be the manand he would
run home if he could just as would the man. But he is
not able to pity himself, nor to think about his
personality as would the man, nor docs he wonder whether such a life is worth
living, after alt. He "knows," but is not able to think of himself as knowinghe does not "know that he
knows," as we do. He experiences the physical pain
and discomfort, but is spared the mental discomfort and concern arising from
the physical, which man so often experiences.
The
animal cannot shift its consciousness from the sensations
of the outer world to the inner states of being. It is not able to "know itself." The difference may be clumsily illustrated by the example of a man feeling,
seeing or hearing something that gives him a
pleasurable sensation, or the reverse. He is conscious
of the feeling or sensation, and that it is pleasurable or otherwise. That is
Physical Consciousness, and the animal may share it with
him. But it stops right there with the animal. But the man may begin to wonder why the sensation is pleasurable and to associate
it with other things and persons; or speculate why he dislikes it, what will
follow, and so onthat is Mental Consciousness, because
he recognizes an inward self, and is turning his attention inward. He
may see another man and experience a feeling
or sensation of attraction or
aversionlike or dislike. This is Physical
Consciousness, and an animal also may experience the sensation. But the man goes further than the animal, and
wonders just what there is about the man
he likes or detests, and may compare himself to the man and wonder whether the latter feels as he docs, and so onthis is Mental Consciousness.
In
animals the mental gaze is freely directed outward, and
never returns upon itself. In man the mental gaze
may be directed inward, or may return inward after its outward journey. The
animal "knows" the man not only
"knows," but he "knows that he knows," and is able to investigate that "knowing" and speculate about it. We call this higher
consciousness Mental Consciousness.
The operation of Physical Consciousness we call Instinctthe operation of Mental
Consciousness we call Reason.
The Man who has Mental
Consciousness not only "feels"
or "senses" things, but he has words or mental concepts of these
feelings and sensations and may think of
himself as experiencing them, separating himself, the sensation or feeling, and the thing felt or sensed.
The man is able to think: "I feel; I hear; I see; I smell; I taste; I desire; I do," etc., etc. The very words
indicate Mental 'Consciousness recognizing mental states and giving them names, and also recognizing something
called "I" that experiences the sensations. This latter fact has caused psychologists to speak of this stage as
"Self-consciousness," but we reserve this idea of the "I" consciousness for a higher stage.
The
animal experiences something that gives it the impressions
or feeling that we call "pain,"' "hurt," "pleasant,"
"sweet," "bitter," etc., all being forms of sensation,
but it is unable to think of them in words. The pain
seems to be a part of itself, although possibly associated with some person or
thing that caused it. The study of the unfoldment
of consciousness in a young baby will give one a far better idea of the grades and distinctions than can be obtained from reading
mere words.
Mental Consciousness is a growth. As Halleck says, "Many persons
never have more than a misty idea of such a
mental attitude. They always take themselves for
granted, and never turn the gaze inward." It has been
doubted whether the savages have developed Self-consciousness,
and even many men of our own race seem
to be but little above the animals in intellect and
consciousness. They do not seem able to "know themselves" even slightly. To them the "I" seems to be
a purely physical thinga body having desires and feeling but little
more. They are able to feel an act, but scarcely more. They are not able to set
aside any physical "notI," being
utterly unable to think of
themselves as anything else but a Body. The "I" and the Body are one with them, and they seem incapable of distinguishing between them.
Then
comes another stage in which mental-consciousness
proper sets in. The man begins to realize that he
has "a mind." He is able to "know himself" as a
mental being, and to turn the gaze inward a little. This
period of development may be noticed in young children.
For a time they speak of themselves as a third
person, until finally they begin to say "1." Then a
little later comes the ability to know their own mental states as suchthey
know that they have a mind, and arc able to
distinguish between it and the body. It is
related that some children experience a feeling of terror when they pass into this stage. They exhibit signs
of bashfulness and what is commonly termed "self-consciousness"
in that sense. Some tell us in after years that when they
became aware of themselves as an entity they were
overcome with alarm, as if by a sense of loneliness
and apartness from the Universe. Young people often
feel this way for several years. There seems to be a distinct feeling that the Universe is antagonistic to and set apart from
them.
And, although this feeling of separateness and apartness
grows less acute as the man grows older, yet it is always present to a
greater or less degree until a still higher
stagethe Ego-consciousness is reached, when it disappears as we shall see. And this mental-conscious stage is a hard one for many. They are entangled in a mass of mental states which the
man thinks is "himself,"
and the struggle between the real "I"
and its confining sheaths is painful. And it be* comes still more painful as the end is neared, for as man advances in mental-consciousness and knowledge
he feels more keenly and suffers
accordingly. Man cats the fruit of
the Tree of Knowledge and begins to suffer,
and is driven out of the Garden of Eden of the child and primitive races, who live like the birds of the air and concern themselves not about mental
states and problems. But there is
deliverance ahead in the shape of a
higher consciousness, although but few realize
it and still fewer have gained it. Perhaps this lesson may point out the
way for you.
With
the birth of mental-consciousness comes the knowledge that there is a mind
in others. Man is able to speculate and
reason about the mental states of
other men, because he recognizes these states within himself. As man advances in the Mental Consciousness he begins to develop a constantly
increasing degree and grade of
Intellect, and accordingly he attaches
the greatest importance to that part of his nature.
Some men worship Intellect as a God, ignoring its limitations which other
thinkers have pointed out. Such people are apt to reason that because the human intellect (in its present state of development) reports
that such a thing must be, or cannot possibly be, that the matter is forever settled. They ignore the fact that it is
possible that Man's Intellect, in its present state
of unfoldment, may be able to take cognizance of only
a very small part of the Universal Fact, and that
there may be regions upon regions of Reality and Fact of which he cannot even
dream, so far are they removed from his experience. The
unfoldment of a new sense would open out a new
world and might bring to light facts that would
completely revolutionize our entire world of conceptions by reason of the new information it
would give us.
Hut,
nevertheless, from this Mental Consciousness has come
the wonderful work of Intellect, as shown in the
achievements of Man up to this time, and while we must
recognize its limitations, we gladly join in singing
its praises. Reason is the tool with which Man is digging into the mine of Facts, bringing to light new treasures
every day. This stage of Mental Consciousness is
bringing to Man knowledge of himself knowledge of the Universethat is well
worth the price he pays for it. For Man docs pay a
price for entrance into this stageand he pays an
increasing price as he advances in its territory, for the higher he dissecting
their moods, motives, feelings, etc. Others exhaust
their capacity for pleasure and happiness, but looking
outside for it instead of within, and become blase, bored, ennuied and an affliction to themselves. We mention these
things not in a spirit of Pessimism, but
merely to show that even this great Mental Consciousness
has a reverse and ugly side as well as the bright
face that has been ascribed to it.
As man reaches the higher stages of this Mental Consciousness,
and the next higher stage begins to dawn
upon him, he is apt to feel more keenly than ever the
insufficiency of Life as it appears to him. He is
unable to understand Himselfhis origin, destiny, purpose
and natureand he chafes against the bars of the cage
of Intellect in which he is confined. He asks himself
the question, "Whence come IWhither go I What is the object of my
Existence?" He becomes dissatisfied with the
answers the world has to give him to these
questions, and he cries aloud in despairand but the
answer of his own voice comes back to him from the
impassable walls with which he is surrounded. He docs
not realize that his answer must come from Withinbut so it is.
Psychology
stops when it reaches the limits of Mental
Consciousness, or as it calls it "Self-Consciousness," and denies that there is anything beyondany unexplored
regions of the Mind. It laughs at the reports
that come from those who have penetrated further
within the recesses of their being, and dismisses the reports as mere "dreams," "fantasies,"
"illusions," "ecstatic imaginings,"
"abnormal states," etc., etc. But, nevertheless, there are schools of
thought that teach of these higher states, and there are men
of all ages and races that have entered them and have
reported concerning them. And we feel justified in asking you to take them into consideration.
There
are two planes of Consciousness, of which we feel it
proper to speak, for we have obtained more or less information regarding
them. There are still higher planes, but
they belong to higher phases of life than are dealt with here.
The
first of these planes or states of Consciousness, above
the "Self-Consciousness" of the psychologists (which we have called
"Mental Consciousness") may be
called "Ego-consciousness," for it brings an "awareness" of the Reality of the Ego. This "awareness"
is far above the Self-consciousness of the man who is
able to distinguish "I" from "You," and to give it a name. And far above the consciousness that enables a man, as he rises in the scale, to distinguish the "I" from faculty after faculty of the mind, which he is
able to recognize as "notI," until he finds left a mental something
that he cannot set aside, which he calls
"I"although this stage alone is very much higher
than that of the average of the race, and is a high degree of Attainment
itself. It is akin to this last stage, and
yet still fuller and more complete. In the dawning of Ego Consciousness the "I" recognizes itself still more
clearly and, more than this, is fully imbued with a sense and
"awareness" of its
own Reality, unknown to it before. This awareness is not a mere matter of reasoningit is a
"consciousness," just as is Physical Consciousness and Mental
Consciousness something
different from an "intellectual conviction." It is a Knowing, not a Thinking or Believing.
The "I" knows that it is Realthat it has its roots in the Supreme Reality underlying all the
Universe, and partakes of its
Essence. It does not know what this Reality is, but it knows that it is
Real, and something different from anything in the world of name, form, number, time, space, cause and effect
something Transcendental and
surpassing all human experience. And knowing this, it knows that it cannot be
destroyed or hurt; cannot die, but is
immortal; and that there is Something which
is the very essence of Good behind of, underneath and even in
itself. And in this certainty
and consciousness is there Peace, Understanding and Power. When it fully bursts upon one, Doubt, Fear, Unrest and Dissatisfaction drop from him like
wornout garments and he finds himself clothed
in the Faith that Knows; Fearlessness; Rest-fulness; Satisfaction. Then he
is able to say understandingly and
with meaning "I AM."
This Ego Consciousness is coming to many as a dawning knowledgethe light is just rising from behind
the hills. To others it has come gradually
and slowly,
but fully, and they now live in the full light of the
consciousness. Others it has burst upon like a flash,
or visionlike a light falling from the clear sky, almost blinding them at first, but leaving them changed men and women,
possessed of that something that cannot be
understood by or described to those who have not
experienced it. This last stage is called "Illumination" in one
of its forms.
The man of the Ego Consciousness may not understand
the Riddle of the Universe or be able to give an answer
to the great Questions of Lifebut he has ceased to
worry about themthey now disturb him not. He
may use his intellect upon them as before, but
never with the feeling that in their intellectual solution
rests his happiness or peace of mind. He knows
that he stands on solid rock, and though the storms of
the world of matter and force may beat upon him,
he will not be hurt. This and other things he
knows. He cannot prove these things to others, for they
are not demonstrable by argumenthe himself did
not get them in that way. And so he says but little
about itbut lives his life as if he knew them not, so
far as outward appearances go. But inwardly he is a
changed manhis life is different from that of his
brothers, for while their souls are wrapped in slumber
or are tossing in troubled dreams, his Soul has awakened
and is gazing upon the world with bright and fearless eyes. There are,
of course, different stages or degrees of
this Consciousness, just as there are in
the lower planes of consciousness. Some have it to a
slight degree, while others have it fully. Perhaps this
lesson will tell some of its readers just what is the
thing that has "happened" to them and which they
hesitate to speak of to their closest friend or life companion. To others it may open the way to a fuller realization. We sincerely trust so, for one does not begin
to Live until he knows the "I" as Reality.
There is
a stage still higher than this last mentioned, but it
has come to but very few of the race.
Reports of it come from all times, races,
countries. It has been called "Cosmic Consciousness," and is described as an awareness
of the Oneness of Lifethat is, a consciousness that the Universe is
filled with One Lifean actual perception
and "awareness" that the Universe is full of Life, Motion and
Mind, and that there is no such thing as Blind Force, or Dead Matter, hut that All is alive, vibrating and intelligent. That is, of course, that the Real Universe, which is the Essence or background of the Universe of Matter, Energy
and Mind is as they describe. In fact, the description of those who have had glimpses of this state would
indicate that they see the Universe as All Mindthat All is Mind at the
last. This form of consciousness has been experienced by men here and thereonly a
few in moments of
"Illumination," the period lasting but a very short space of time,
then fading away, leaving but a
memory. In the moment of the
"Illumination" there came to those experiencing it a sense of
"intouchness"
with Universal Knowledge and Life, impossible
to describe, accompanied by a Joy beyond understanding.
Regarding this last, "Cosmic Consciousness," we would
state that it means more than an intellectual conviction,
belief or realization of the facts as stated, for an
actual vision and consciousness of these things came in the
moment of Illumination. Some others report that they have a deep abiding sense
of the reality of the facts described by the
report of the Illumined, but have not experienced the
"vision" or ecstasy referred to. These last people seem to have with
them always the same mental state as that possessed by those who had the "vision" and passed
out of it, carrying with them the remembrance and feeling, but not the actual consciousness attained at the
moment. They agree upon the
essential particulars of the reports. Dr. Maurice Bucke, now passed out
of this plane of life, wrote a book
entitled "Cosmic Consciousness,"
in which he describes a number of these cases, including his own, Walt Whitman's and others, and in which he holds that this stage of
consciousness is before the race and
will gradually come to it in the future. He holds that the manifestation
of it which has come to some few of the
race, as above stated, is but the
first beams of the sun which are flashing upon us and which are but prophecies
of the appearance of the great body of light itself. We shall not here consider at length the reports
of certain great religious personages of the past, who have left records
that in moments of great spiritual exaltation they became conscious of
"being in the presence
of the Absolute," or perhaps within the radius of "the light
of Its countenance." We have great
respect for these reports, and have every reason for believing many of them
authentic, notwithstanding the conflicting reports that have been handed down
to us by those experiencing them.
These reports are conflicting
because of the fact that the minds of those who had these glimpses of consciousness were not prepared or trained
to fully understand the nature
of the phenomena. They found themselves in the spiritual presence of Something of awful grandeur and
spiritual rank, and were completely dazed and bewildered at the sight. They did not understand the nature of the
Absolute, and when they had
sufficiently recovered they
reported that they had been in the "presence of God"the word
"God" meaning their particular conception of Deitythat is. the one
appearing as Deity in their own particular religious creed or school. They saw
nothing to cause them to identify this Something with their particular
conception of Deity, except that they thought that "it must be
God," and knowing no other God except
their own particular conception, they naturally identifying the
Something with "God" as they
conceived Him to be. And their reports
naturally were along these lines. Thus the reports of all religions are
filled with acunts of the so-called
miraculous occurrences. The Catholic saint reports that he "saw of light of God's countenance,"
and the non-Catholic reports likewise regarding
God as he knows him. The Mohammedan reports
that he caught a glimpse of the face of Allah, and the
Buddhist tells us that he saw Buddha under the
tree. The Brahman has seen the face of
Brahma, and the various Hindu sects have men who give similar
reports regarding their own particular deities. The Persians have given similar reports, and even the ancient Egyptians
have left records of similar occurrences. These conflicting reports have led to the belief, on the part of those who did not
understand the nature of the
phenomena, that these things were "all
imagination" and fancy, if indeed not rank falsehood and imposture. But the Yogis know better than this. They know that underneath all these varying reports there is a common ground of truth, which
will he apparent to anyone
investigating the matter. They know
that all of these reports (except a few based upon
fraudulent imitation of the real phenomenon) are based upon truth and are but the bewildered reports of the various observers. They know that these people were
temporarily lifted above the ordinary plane of consciousness and were made aware of the existence of a Being or Beings higher than
mortal. It does not follow that they
saw "God" or the Absolute, for there are many Beings of high
spiritual growth and development that would
appear to the ordinary mortal as a very God. The
Catholic doctrine of Angels and Arch-angels
is corroborated by those among the Yogis
who have been "behind the Veil," and they give us reports of the "Devas" and other advanced Beings. So the Yogi accepts these reports
of the various mystics, saints and
inspired ones, and accounts for them
all by laws perfectly natural to the students
of the Yogi Philosophy, but which appear as supernatural to those who have not
studied along these lines.
But we cannot speak further of this phase of the subject
in this lesson, for a full discussion of it would lead us far away from the phase of the general subject before us. But we wish to be understood as saying that there are certain centers in the mental being of Man
from which may come light regarding the existence of
the Absolute and higher order of Beings. In fact,
from these centers come to man that part of his mental
"feelings" that he calls "the religious instinct or intuition." Man does not arrive at that underlying consciousness
of "Something Beyond" by means of his Intellectit
is the glimmer of light coming from the higher centers of the Self. He
notices these gleams of light, but not
understanding them, he proceeds to erect
elaborate theological and creedal structures to account for them, the work of the Intellect,
however, always lacking that "feeling" that the intuition itself
possesses. True religion, no matter under what name it may masquerade, comes from the
"heart" and is not comforted
or satisfied with these Intellectual explanations, and hence comes that unrest
and craving for satisfaction which comes to Man when the light begins to break through.
But we
must postpone a further discussion of this part of the subject for the present.
We shall consider it again in a future lesson in
connection with other matters. As we have said, our
next two lessons will take upon the inquiry regarding
the regions outside of the consciousness of the
ordinary man. You will find it a most fascinating and
instructive inquiry and one that will open up new
fields of thought for many of you.