Lesson VI. 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 conic 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 fail 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 that 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. Hut, we mean that back of all the
"heavens" and "celestial planes," there is a still higher
state of 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 "Inbreathing and Outbreathing
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-Inbreathings 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
eve 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 Yugos (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 last mentioned particular, are resembled more by the line of Lotze's thinking, as expressed in this sentence from his Micro-cosmos: "The series of
Cosmic Periods, * * * each link of which is
bound together with every other; * *
* the successive order of these sections shall compose the unity of an onward-advancing melody." And, so through the pages of Heraclitus, the
Stoics, the Pythagoreans,
Empedocles, Virgil, down to the present
time, in Nietzche, and his followers, we find this thought of Universal Rhythm-that fundamental conception of the ancient Yogi Philosophy.
And, now, returning to the main path of our thought -let
us stand here at the beginning of the dawn of a Day of Brahm. It is verily a
beginning, for there is nothing to be seen-there is
nothing but Space. No trace of Matter, Force or Mind,
as we know these terms. In that portion of
Infinite Space-that is, of course, in that
"portion" of the Infinite Mind of the Absolute
One, for even Space is a "conception" of that
Mind, there is "Nothing." This is "the darkest moment, just before
the dawn."
Then comes the
breaking of the dawn of the Brahmic Day.
The Absolute begins the "creation" of a Universe. And, how does It create ? There can be no creation
of something out of nothing. And except the
Absolute Itself there is
but Nothing.
Therefore The Absolute must
create the Universe out of Its own
"substance," if we can use the word "substance" in this
connection. "Substance" means, literally, "that which stands under," being derived from the two Latin words, sub, meaning
"under," and stare, meaning
"to stand." The English word "understand"
means, literally, "to stand under"-the two words really
meaning the same. This is more than a coincidence.
So the Absolute must create the Universe from its own substance, we have seen. Well, what is this "substance" of the Absolute? Is it Matter? No! for Matter
we know to be, in itself, merely a manifestation of
Force, or Energy. Then, is it Force or Energy? No!
because Force and Energy, in itself, cannot
possess Mind, and we must think of the Absolute as
possessing Mind, for it manifests Mind, and what is
manifested must be in the Manifestor, or Manifesting
Agent. Then this "substance" must be Mind? Well, yes, in a way-and
yet not Mind as we know it, finite and imperfect. Hut
something like Mind, only Infinite
in degree and nature-something sufficiently greater
than Mind as we know it, to admit of it being the
Cause of Mind. Hut, we are compelled to think of it as
"Infinite Mind," for our finite Minds can hold no higher conception. So we are content to say that this
"substance" from which the Absolute must create the
Universe is a something that we will call Infinite Mind. Fix this in your mind, please, as the first step in our conception.
But, how can the Infinite Mind be used to create finite minds,
shapes, forms, and things, without it being
lessened in quantity-how can you take something from something, and
still have the original something left? An impossibility! And, we cannot think
of the Absolute as "dividing Itself up" into two or more portions-for
if such were the case, there would be two or
more Absolutes, or else None. There cannot
be two Absolutes, for if the Absolute were to divide itself so there would be no Absolute, but only two
Relatives-two Finites instead of One Infinite. Do you see the absurdity?
Then how can this work of
Creation be accomplished, in view of these difficulties which are apparent
even to our finite minds? You may thresh this question over and over again in
your minds- men have done so in all
times-and you will not find the
answer except in the fundamental Idea of the Yogi Teachings. And this
Fundamental Idea is that the creation is
purely a Mental Creation, and the Universe is the Mental Image, or
Thought-Form, in the Mind of the Absolute-in
the Infinite Mind, itself. No other "creation" is possible.
And so this, say the Yogi Masters, this is
the Secret of Universal Creation. The Universe is of, and in, the
Infinite Mind, and this is the only way it could be so. So, fix in your mind
this second step in our conception.
But
then, you ask us, from whence comes Force, Matter, and Finite Mind? Well
asked, good student-your answer shall be forthcoming. Here it is.
Finite Mind; Force or
Energy; and Matter; in themselves have no existence. They are merely Mental
Images, or Thought-Forms in the Infinite Mind of the Absolute. Their whole existence and appearance depends upon
their Mental Conception and Retention in the Infinite Mind. In It they have
their birth, rise, growth, decline and death.
Then what is Real
about ME, you may ask-surely I have a vivid
consciousness of Reality-is this merely an illusion, or shadow? No, not
so! that sense of Reality which you possess and which every creature or thing possesses-that sense of "I
Am"-is the perception by the Mental Image of the Reality of its
Essence-and that Essence is the Spirit. And that Spirit is the SUBSTANCE OF THE
ABSOLUTE embodied in Its conception, the Mental Image. It is the perception by
the Finite, of its Infinite Essence. Or, the perception by the Relative of its
Absolute Essence. Or, the perception by You, or I, or any other man or woman,
of the Real Self, which underlies all the sham self or Personality. It is the
reflection of the Sun. in the dew-drop, and
thousands of dew-drops-seemingly thousands of Suns, and yet but One. And
yet, that reflection of the Sun in the dew-drop
is more than a "reflection," for it is the substance of the Sun itself-and yet the Sun shines on high,
one and undivided, yet manifesting in millions of dew-drops. It is only
by figures of speech that we can speak of the Unspeakable Reality.
To make it perhaps plainer to some of you, let us remind
you that even in your finite Mental Images there is
evident many forms of life. You may think of a moving army of thousands
of men. And yet the only "I" in
these men is your own "I." These characters in your mind move and live and have their being, and yet there is nothing in them except
"You !" The characters of Shakespeare, Dickens, Thackeray,
Balzac, and the rest, were such strong Mental Images that not only their
creators were carried away by their power,
and apparent ability, but even you who read of them, many years after, perhaps, feel the apparent reality, and weep, or smile, or grow angry over
their actions. And, yet there was no
Hamlet, outside of Shakespeare's
mind; no Micawber outside of Dickens; no Pere Goriot outside of
Balzac.
These
illustrations are but finite examples of the Infinite,
but still they will give you an idea of the truth
that we are trying to unfold in your mind. But you must
not imagine that You and I, and all others, and
things, are but mere "imaginations," like our created characters-that would be a most unhappy belief.
The mental creations held by You and I, and other
finite minds, are but finite creations of finite minds, while WE, ourselves, are
the finite creations of an INFINITE MIND. While our, and Dickens', and Balzac's, and Shakespeare's creations live and
move and have their being, they have no other "I" than our Finite Minds, while we, the characters
in the Divine Drama, Story, or Epic,
have for our "I"-our Real
Self-the ABSOLUTE REALITY. They have merely a
background of our finite personalities, and minds, before which they may
desport themselves, until, alas! the very background fades away to dust, and both background and shadows disappear. But, we
have behind our personalities the Eternal Background of Reality, which changeth not, neither doth it
Disappear. Shadows on a screen though our Personalities may be, yet
the Screen is Real and Eternal. Take away
the finite screen and the shadows disappear-but our Screen remains
forever.
We are Mental
Images in the Infinite Mind-the Infinite
Mind holds us safe-we cannot be lost-we cannot be hurt-we can never disappear, unless we be absorbed in
the Infinite Mind itself, and then we STILL ARE! The Infinite Mind never
forgets-it never can overlook us-it is aware of our presence, and being, always. We are safe-we are secure-we ARE!
Just as we could not be created from Nothing-so we cannot be converted into
Nothing. We are in the All-and there is no outside.
At the dawn of the
Brahmic Day, The Absolute begins the creation of a new Universe, or the recreation of one, just as you may care to state
it. The highest Yogi Teachings inform
us that the information relating to
this event (which is, of course, beyond the personal knowledge of man as
we know him) has been passed down to the
race from teachers, who have received it from still higher teachers, and
so on, and on and on, higher and higher, until it is believed to have
originated with some of those wonderfully developed
souls which have visited the earth from higher planes of
Being, of which there are many. In these lessons
we are making no claims of this sort, but pass on the
teachings to you, believing that their truth will appeal
to those who are ready for them, without any attempt to attribute to them an
authority such as just mentioned. Our reference to this high source of the teachings
was made because of its general acceptance in the Eastern countries, and by
occultists generally.
The
Yogi teachings inform us that, in the Beginning, The
Absolute formed a Mental Image, or Thought-Form,
of an Universal Mind-that is, of an Universal
Principle of Mind. And here the distinction is
made between this Universal Mind Principle, or
Universal Mind-Stuff, as some have called it, and the
Infinite Mind itself. The Infinite Mind is something infinitely above this
creation of the Universal Mind Principle, the latter being
as much an "emanation" as is Matter. Let there be no mistake about
this. The Infinite Mind is Spirit-the
Universal Mind Principle is
"Mind-Stuff" of which all Finite Mind is a part. This
Universal Mind Principle was the first
conception of The Absolute, in the process of the creation of the Universe. It was the
"Stuff" from which all Finite Mind forms, and is formed. It is
the Universal Mental Energy. Know it as
such-but do not confound it with
Spirit, which we have called Infinite
Mind, because we had no other term. There is a subtle difference here, which is most important to a careful
understanding of the subject.
The Yogi teachings inform us that from this Mental Principle there was
developed the Universal Principle of Force
or Energy. And that from this Universal Force
Principle there developed the Universal Principle of
Matter. The Sanscrit terms for these Three Principles
are as follows: Chitta, or the Universal Mind
Substance, or Principle; Pram, or the Universal Energy Principle; and Akasa,
or the Universal Principle of Matter. We have spoken
of these Three Principles, or Three Great
Manifestations, in our "Advanced Course" of
lessons, which followed our "Fourteen
Lessons," several years ago, but it becomes necessary for us to refer to them again at this place in connection with the present presentation of the subject. As was stated
in the lessons just mentioned, these Three
Manifestations, or Principles, are really one, and shade into each other. This matter has been fully touched upon
in the concluding lessons of the aforesaid
"Advanced Course," to which we must refer you for further details, in order to avoid repetition
here. You will find a wonderful
correspondence between these
centuries-old Yogi teachings, and the latest conceptions of Modern
Science.
Well, to
return to the main path once more, the Teachings
inform us that The Absolute "thought" into
being-that is, held the Mental Image, or Thought-Form,
of-Chitta, or Universal Mind Principle. This Chitta was finite,
of course, and was bound and governed by the Laws of
Finite Mind, imposed upon it by the Will of The
Absolute. Everything that is Finite
is governed by Laws imposed by the great LAW
which we call The Absolute. Then began the Great
INVOLUTION which was necessary before Evolution
was possible. The word "Involve," you know, means "to wrap up;
to cover; to hide; etc.;" and the word
"Evolve" means "to unwrap; to unfold; to
un-roll; etc." Before a thing can be "evolved," or "unfolded,"
it must first have been "involved" or "folded-in,
or wrapped up, etc." Everything must be "involved" before it can
be "evolved;" remember this, please-it
is true on all planes, mental, physical, and spiritual. A thing must be
"put in" before it may be "taken
out." This truth, if remembered and applied to metaphysical problems, will throw the clearest light upon the darkest problems. Make
it your own.
Therefore before the process of Evolution from the gross
forms of Matter up to the higher, and then on to the
Mental, from higher to higher, and then on the Spiritual plane-that Evolution
which we see being performed before our sight today-before that Evolution
became possible there was a necessary Involution, or "wrapping-up."
The Spirit of the Absolute first "involved"
itself in its Mental Image; Thought-Form, or Creation, of the Mind Principle,
just as you may "involve" yourself in an earnest
thought in deep meditation. Did you never
"lose yourself" in thought, or "forget yourself" in an
idea? Have you not spoken of yourself as having been
"wrapped in thought?" Well,
then you can see something of what is here meant,
at least so far as the process of "involution" is
concerned. You involve yourself in your meditations-the Absolute involves
Itself in Its Mental Creations-but, remember the one is Finite, and the other Infinite,
and the results are correspondingly weak or strong.
Obeying the laws imposed upon it, the Mental Principle then involved itself in the Energy Principle, or Prana, and the Universal
Energy sprang into existence. Then, in
obedience to the same Laws, the Prana involved itself in the Akasa,
or Universal Matter Principle. Of
course each "involving" practically "created" the
"wrapper," "sheath" of the lower Principle. Do you see this? Each, therefore, depends upon
the Principle higher than itself,
which becomes its "Parent Principle," as the Yogis express it.
And in this process of Involution the
extreme form of Matter was reached
before the process of Evolution became possible. The extreme form of gross Matter is not known to us today, on
this planet, for we have passed beyond it. But the teachings inform us
that such forms were as much grosser that
the grossest Matter that we know today, as the latter is gross in
comparison with the most ethereal vapors
known to Modern Science. The human mind cannot grasp this extreme of the
scale, any more than it can the extreme
high degree of manifestation.
At
this point we must call your attention to certain occult teachings, widely
disseminated, which the highest Yogi
teachers discountenance, and contradict. We allude to the teaching that in the process of Involution there was a
"degeneration" or "devolution" from higher to lower forms
of life, until the gross state of Matter was reached. Such a teaching is horrible,
when considered in detail. It would mean that The
Absolute deliberately created high forms of life, arch-angels, and
higher than these-gods in fact- and then caused them to "devolve"
until the lowest state was reached. This would mean the exact opposite of
Evolution, and would mean a "going down" in accordance with the
Divine Will, just as Evolution is a "going up" in accordance with the
Divine. Will.
This is contrary to man's best instincts, and the advanced Yogi
teachings inform us that it is but an illusion
or error that men have created by endeavoring to solve spiritual
mysteries by purely intellectual processes.
The true teaching is that the process of Involution was accomplished by a Principle involving itself in
the lower Principle created within itself, and so on until the lowest plane was reached. Note the difference-"Principles
as Principles" did this, and not as Individual Forms of Life or Being.
There was no more a "devolution"
in this process than there was in The Absolute involving itself in the
Mental Image of the Mind Principle. There
was no "devolution" or "going down"-only an
"involution" or "wrapping
up," of Principle, within Principle-the Individual Life not having
as yet appeared, and not being possible of
appearance until the Evolutionary process began.
We trust that we have made this point clear to you, for it
is an important matter. If the Absolute first made
higher beings, and then caused them to "devolute" into lower and lower forms, then the whole process
would be a cruel, purposeless thing, worthy only of
some of the base conceptions of Deity conceived of by men in their ignorance.
No! the whole effort of the Divine Will
seems to be in the direction of "raising
up" Individual Egos to higher and still higher forms. And in order to produce such
Egos the process of
"Involution" of Principles seems to have been caused, and the subsequent wonderful Evolutionary process instituted. What that "Reason"
is, is Unknowable, as we have said
over and over again. We cannot pry into the Infinite Mind of the Absolute, but we may form certain conclusions by observing and
studying the Laws of the Universe, which seem to be moving in certain directions. From the manifested Will of the Divine One, we may at least hazard an
idea as to its purposes. And these purposes seem to be always in an "upward" lifting and
evolution. Even the coming of the
"Night of Brahm" is no exception to this statement, as we shall see
in future lessons.
From
the starting of the process of Involution from the
Mental Principle, down to the extreme downward point of
the grossest Manifestation of Matter, there were
many stages. From the highest degree of the Finite
Mind, down to lower and still lower degrees; then on
to the plane of Force and Energy, from higher to lower
degrees of Principle within Principle; then on to
the plane of Matter, the Involutionary urge proceeded
to work. When the plane of Matter was reached, it, of course,
showed its highest degree of manifested Matter-the most subtle
form of Ether, or Akasa. Then
down, down, down, went the degrees of Matter, until the grossest
possible form was reached, and then there was a moment's
pause, before the Evolutionary process, or upward-movement, began. The impulse
of the Original Will, or Thought, had exhausted its downward urge, and now
began the upward urge or tendency. But here was manifested
a new
feature.
This new feature was "The Tendency toward Individualization."
During the downward trend the movement was en masse, that
is, by Principle as Principle, without any
"splitting up" into portions, or centers. But with
the first upward movement there was evidenced a
tendency toward creating Centers of Energy, or Units
of activity, which then manifested itself, as the
evolutionary movement continued, from electrons to atoms;
from atoms to man. The gross matter was used as
material for the formation of finer and more complex
forms; and these in turn combined, and formed
higher, and so on, and on. And the forms of Energy operated in the same way.
And the manifestations of centers of Mind or consciousness in
the same way. But all in connection. Matter, Energy and Mind formed a Trinity of Principles, and worked in connection. And the work was always in the
direction of causing higher and higher "forms" to arise-higher and higher Units-higher and higher Centers. But in every
form, center or unit, there was manifested the
Three Principles, Mind, Energy, and Matter. And within
each was the ever present Spirit. For Spirit must be in All-just as All
must be in Spirit.
And,
so this Evolutionary process has continued ever
since ,and must continue for aeons yet. The Absolute is raising itself up into
Itself higher and higher Egos, and is providing them with
higher and higher sheaths in which to manifest.
And, as we shall see in these lessons, as we progress,
this evolution is not only along the physical lines,
but also along the mental. And it concerns itself not
only with "bodies," but with "souls,"
which also evolve, from time to time, and bodies
are given these souls in order that they may work out their evolution. And
the whole end and aim of it all seems to be that Egos may reach the stage where they are conscious of the Real
Self-of the Spirit within them, and
its relation to the Spirit of the
Absolute, and then go on and on and on, to planes of life and being, and activities of which even
the most advanced of the race may only dream.
As
some of the Ancient Yogi Teachers have said: "Men
are evolving into super-men; and super-men into
gods; and gods into super-gods; and super-gods into
Something still higher; until from the lowest bit of matter enclosing life, unto the highest being-yea, even
unto The Absolute-there is an Infinite Ladder of Being-and yet the One Spirit pervades all; is in all, as the all is in It."
The Creative Will, of which we
have spoken in these lessons, is in full operation
all through Life. The Natural Laws are laws
of Life imposed by The Absolute in
his Mental Image. They are the Natural Laws of this Universe, just as other Universes have other Laws. But The Absolute Itself has no Laws
affecting It-It, in Itself is LAW.
And these Laws of
Life, and Nature, along its varying planes,
Material, of Energy; and Mental; are also,
in the Divine Mind, else they would not be at all, even in appearance. And when they are transcended,
or apparently defied by some man of
advanced development, it is only
because such a man is able to rise above
the plane upon which such laws are operative. Rut even this transcending is, in
itself, in accordance with some higher law.
And so, we see that All, high and low-good and bad-simple
or complex-all are contained Within the Mind of
the One. Gods, angels, adepts, sages, heavens, planes,-all,
everything-is within the Universe, and the
Universe is Within the Mind of the One. And all is proceeding in accordance
with Law. And all is moving upward and onward, along
the lines of Evolution. All is Well. We are held firmly in The Mind of
the One.
And,
just as the tendency was from the general Principle toward the
particular Individual Soul, so is there a
Reconciliation later on, for the Individual soul, as it develops and unfolds, loses its sense of Separateness, and begins to feel its identity with
the One Spirit, and moves along the
lines of unfoldment, until
it becomes in Conscious Union with God. Spiritual Evolution does not mean
the "growth of the Spirit," for
the Spirit cannot grow-it is already Perfect. The term means the unfoldment of the Individual Mind, until it can recognize the Spirit
Within. Let us close this lesson with the
CENTRAL THOUGHT.
There is but ONE.
That ONE is Spirit. In the Infinite Mind of
that ONE SPIRIT there arose the Mental
Image or Thought-Form of this Universe. Beginning with the Thought of the Principle in Mind; and passing on to the Principle of Energy; and
then on to the Principle of Matter;
proceeded the Involutionary Process
of Creation. Then, upward began the Evolutionary
Process, and Individual Centers or Units were formed. And the tendency, and evolutionary urge is ever in the direction of
"unfolding" within the Ego of the Realization of the
Indwelling Spirit. As we throw off sheath
after sheath, we approach nearer and nearer to the SPIRIT within us, which is
the One Spirit pervading all things.
This is the Meaning of Life-the
Secret of Evolution. All the Universe is contained Within the Mind of The One. There is Nothing outside of that Infinite Mind. There is no
Outside, for the One is All in All; Space, Time, and Laws, being but Mental Images in that Mind, as are
likewise all shapes and forms, and
phenomena. And as the Ego unfolds into a realization of Itself-Its Real Self-so does its Wisdom and
Power expand. It thus enters into a greater
and greater degree of its Inheritance. Within the Mind of
the One, is All there is. And I, and Thou, and All Things are HERE within that Infinite Mind. We are always
"held in Mind" by The
Absolute-are always safe here. There is
nothing to harm us, in Reality, for our Real Self is the Real Self of the Infinite Mind. All is Within
the Mind of the One. Even the
tiniest atom is under the Law, and
protected by the Law. And the LAW is All there Is. And in that Law we may rest Content and Unafraid.
May this Realization be YOURS.
PEACE BE WITH YOU ALL.
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