Lesson XII. Occult Miscellany
In this, the last lesson of this series, we wish to call your attention to a
variety of subjects, coming under the
general head of the Yogi Philosophy, and yet apparently separated from
one another. And so we have entitled this lesson "Occult Miscellany,"
inasmuch as it is made up of bits of
information upon a variety of subjects
all connected with the general teaching of the series. The lesson will
consist of answers to a number of questions, asked by various students of the
courses in Yogi Philosophy coming from our pen. While these answers, of necessity, must be brief, still we will endeavor
to condense considerable information into each, so that read as a whole the
lesson will give to our students a variety of information upon several
important subjects.
Question I: "Are
there any Brotherhoods of Advanced Occulists in existence, in harmony with
the Yogi Teachings? And if so, what information can you give regarding
them?"
Answer : Yes, there are a number
of Occult Brotherhoods, of varying degrees of advancement, scattered through the various
countries of the earth. These Brotherhoods
agree in principle with the Yogi Teachings, although the methods of
interpretation may vary somewhat. There is but one TRUTH, which becomes apparent to all deep students of Occultism, and
therefore all true Occultists have a glimpse of that Truth, and upon this glimpse is founded their
philosophies and teachings. These Occult
Brotherhoods vary in their nature. In some, the
members are grouped together in retired
portions of the earth, dwelling in the community life. In others the
headquarters are in the large cities of the
earth, their membership being composed of residents of those cities,
with outlying branches. Others have no
meeting places, their work being
managed from headquarters, their members being scattered alt over the face of the earth, the communication being kept up by personal correspondence and privately printed and circulated
literature. Admission to these true
Occult Brotherhoods is difficult. They seek their members, not the
members them. No amount of money, or
influence, or energy-can gain entrance to these societies. They seek to impart information and instruction only to those
who are prepared to receive it-to
those who have reached that stage of
spiritual unfoldment that will enable them to grasp and assimilate the
teachings of the Inner Circles. While this
is true, it is also true that these
Societies or Brotherhoods are engaged in disseminating Occult Knowledge, suited to the minds of the public, through various channels, and cloaked
in various disguises of name,
authority and style. Their idea is to gradually open the mind of the
public to the great truths underlying and
back of all of these various
fragmentary teachings. And they recognize the fact that one mind may be reached
in a certain way, and another mind
in a second way, and so on. And,
accordingly, they wrap their teachings in covers likely to
attract the attention of various people, and to cause
them to investigate the contents. But, under and back
of all of these various teachings, is the great fundamental
TRUTH. It has often been asked of us how one
might distinguish the real Brotherhoods from the
spurious ones which have assumed the name and general style
of the true societies, for the purpose of exploiting
the public, and making money from their interest in the great occult
truths. Answering this, we would say that
the true Occult Brotherhoods and Societies never sell their
knowledge. It is given free as water to those who seek for it, and is never
sold for money. The true adept would as soon
think of selling his soul as selling Spiritual Knowledge for gain. While
money plays its proper place in the world, and the laborer is worthy of his
hire; and while the Masters recognize
the proprjety of the sale of books
on Occultism (providing the price is reasonable and not in excess of the general market price of books) and
while they also recognize the propriety of
having people pay their part of the expenses of maintaining
organizations, magazines, lecturers, instructors, etc., still the idea stops there-it does not extend to the selling of the Inner Secrets of
Occultism for silver or gold. Therefore if you are solicited to become a member of any so-called Brotherhood or
Occult Society for a consideration of
money, you will know at once that the organization is not a true Occult Society, for it has violated one of the
cardinal principles at the start.
Remember the old occult maxim:
"When the Pupil is ready, the Master appears"-and so it is with the
Brotherhoods and Societies-if it is necessary for
your growth, development, and attainment, to he
connected with one of these organizations then, when
the time comes-when you are ready-you will receive
your call, and then will know for a certainty that
those who call are the true messengers of Truth.
Question II: "Are there any exalted human beings called Masters, or Adepts, or are the
tales regarding them mere fables, etc?"
Answer : Of a
truth there are certain highly developed,
advanced and exalted souls in the flesh, known as
Masters and Adepts, although many of the tales told
concerning them are myths, or pure fiction originating in the minds of some
modern sensational writers. And, moreover, these souls
are members of the Great Lodge, an organization
composed of these almost super-human beings-these
great souls that have advanced so very far on The Path. Before beginning to sepak of them, let us answer a question often
asked by Western people, and that is, "Why do not
these people appear to the world, and show their powers?" Each
of you may answer that question from your
own experiences. Have you ever been foolish enough to open your soul to the crowd, and have it reveal the sacred Truth that rests there? Have
you ever attempted to impart the highest teachings known to you, to persons who had not attained
sufficient spiritual development to
even understand the meaning of
your words ? Have you ever committed the folly of
throwing spiritual pearls to material swine? If you
have had these experiences, you may begin to faintly
imagine the reasons of these illumined souls for
keeping away from the crowd-for dwelling away from the
multitude. No one who has not suffered the pain of
having the vulgar crowd revile the highest spiritual
truths to him, can begin to understand the feelings
of the spiritually ilumined individuals. It is not that
they feel that they are better or more exalted than the
humblest man-for these feelings of the personality
have long since left them. It is because they see the
folly of attempting to present the highest truths to a public which is not prepared to understand even the
elementary teachings. It is a feeling akin to that of
the master of the highest musical conceptions attempting
to produce his wonderful compositions before a crowd
fit only for the "rag-time" and slangy songs of the day.
Then again, these Masters have no desire to "work miracles" which would only cause the public to become still
more superstitious than they now are. When one glances
back over the field of religions, and sees how the
miraculous acts of some of the great leaders have been prostituted and used as a foundation for the grossest credulity and basest superstition, he may understand
the wisdom of the masters in this respect. There is another reason for the
non-appearance of the Masters, and that is that there
is no occasion for it. The laws of Spiritual Evolution
are as regular, constant and
fixed as are the laws of Physical Evolution, and any
attempt to unduly force matters only results in
confusion, and the abortive results soon fade away. The world is not ready for the appearance of the Masters.
Their appearance at this time would not be in accordance with The Plan.
The
Masters or Adepts are human beings who have passed
from lower to higher planes of consciousness, thus
gaining wisdom, power and qualities that seem almost
miraculous to the man of the ordinary consciousness. A Hindu writer
speaking of them has said: "To him who
hath traveled far along The Path, sorrow
ceases to trouble; fetters cease to bind; obstacles cease to hinder.
Such an one is free. For him there is no more fever or sorrow. For him there are no more unconscious re-births. His old Karma is exhausted, and he creates no new Karma. His heart is freed from the desire for future
life. No new longings arise within
his soul. He is like a lamp which
burnetii from the oil of the Spirit, and not from the oil of the outer world." Lillie
in his work on Buddhism, tells his readers: "Six supernatural faculties were expected of the ascetic before he
could claim the grade of Arhat. They are constantly alluded to in the Sutras as the six
supernatural faculties. usually
without further specification. ... In
this transitory body the intelligence
of Man is enchained. The ascetic
finding himself thus confused, directs his mind to the creation of Manas. He represents to himself, in thought, another body created from
this material
body,-a body with a form, members and organs. This body in relation
to the material body is like a sword and
the scabbard, or a serpent issuing from a basket in which it is
confined. The ascetic then, purified and
perfected, begins to practice supernatural faculties. He finds himself
able to pass through material obstacles,
walls, ramparts, etc.; he is able to
throw his phantasmal appearance into many places at once. He acquires the power of hearing the sounds of the unseen world as distinctly as those
of the phenomenal world-more
distinctly in point of fact. Also by
the power of Mafias he is able to read the most secret thoughts of others, and to tell their characters."
These
great Masters are above all petty sectarian distinctions.
They may have ascended to their exalted position along the paths of
the many religions, or they may have walked
the path of no-denomination, sect, or body. They may have mounted to
their heights by philosophical reasoning
alone, or else by scientific investigation. They are called by many names, according to the viewpoint of the speaker,
but at the last they are of but one
religion; one philosophy; one belief-TRUTH.
The state of Adeptship is reached only after a long and
arduous apprenticeship extending over many lives. Those who have reached the pinnacle were once even as You who read
these lines. And some of you--yes, perhaps
even You who are now reading these words
may have taken the first steps along the narrow path which will lead you to heights equally as exalted as
those occupied by even the highest of these great
beings of whom we are speaking.
Unconsciously to yourself, the urge of the Spirit has set your
feet firmly upon The Path, and will push you
forward to the end. In order to
understand the occult custom that finds its full fruit in the seclusion of the
Masters, one needs to be acquainted with the universal habit among true
occultists of refraining from public or vulgar displays of occult power. While
the inferior occultist.-* often exhibit some of the minor manifestations
to the public, it is a fact that the true advanced occultists scrupulously
refrain from so doing. In fact, among
the highest teachers, it is a condition imposed upon the pupil that he shall
refrain from exhibitions of his developing
powers among the uninitiated public. "The Neophyte is bound over to the most inviolable
secrecy as to everything connected with his entrance and further progress in
the schools. In Asia, in the same way,
the chela, or pupil of occultism, no sooner becomes a chela than
he ceases to be a witness on behalf of the reality of occult knowledge,"
says Sinnet in his great work on "Esoteric Buddhism," And he then adds: "I have been astonished to find, since my own connection
with the subject, how numerous such clicks are. But it is impossible to imagine any human
act more improbable than the unauthorized revelation by any such chela, to
persons in the outer world, that he is one; and so the great esoteric school of
philosophy guards its seclusion."
Question III: "Does the Yogi Philosophy teach that
there is a place corresponding to the 'Heavens of the various religions ? Is
there any basis for the belief that there is a place resembling 'Heaven'?
Answer: Yes, the
Yogi Philosophy does teach that there is
a real basis for the popular religious beliefs in
"Heaven," and that there are states of being, the knowledge of which
has filtered through to the masses in the
more or less distorted theories regarding "heavens."
But the Yogis do not teach that these "heavens" are places at
all. The teaching is that they are planes of existence.
It is difficult to explain just what is meant by this word "plane." The nearest approach to it in English is the term or word "State." A portion of space may be occupied by several planes at the same time, just as a room
may be filled with the rays of the sun, those of a tamp. X-rays, magnetic and
electric vibrations and waves, etc., each
interpenetrating each other and yet not affecting or
interfering with each other.
On the lower planes of the Astral World there are to
be found the earth-bound souls which have passed out from their former bodies,
but which are attracted to the earthly scenes by strong
attractions, which serve to weight them down and to prevent them from ascending
to the higher planes. On the higher planes are
souls that are less bound by earthly attractions, and
who, accordingly, are relieved of the weight resulting
therefrom. These planes rise in an
ascending
scale, each plane being higher and more spiritual than the one tower than
itself. And dwelling on each plane are the souls fitted
to occupy it, by reason of their degree of spiritual
development, or evolution. When the soul first leaves
the body it falls into a sleep-like stage, from which it
awakens to find itself on the plane for which it is
fitted, by reason of its development, attractions,
character, etc. The particular plane occupied by
each soul is determined by the progress and attainment it
has made in its past lives. The souls on the higher planes may, and often do,
visit the planes lower in the scale than their own, but those on the lower
planes may not visit those higher than their own. Quoting from our own writings
on this subject, published several years ago, we repeat: This prohibition
regarding the visiting of higher planes is not an arbitrary rule, but a law of nature. If the student will pardon
the commonplace comparison, he may
get an understanding of it, by
imagining a large screen, or series of screens,
such as used for sorting coal into sizes. The large coal is caught by the first screen; the next size by the second; and so on until the tiny coal is
reached. Now, the large coal cannot
get into the receptacle of the
smaller sizes, but the small sizes may easily pass through the screen and join the larger sizes, if
force be imparted to them. Just so
in the Astral World, the soul with the greatest amount of materiality, and
gross nature, is stopped by the spiritual screen of a certain plane, and
cannot pass on to the higher ones, while other
souls have cast off some of the confining and retarding
material sheaths, and readily pass on to higher and finer planes. And it may be
readily seen that those souls which dwell on the higher
planes are able to re-visit the lower and grosser planes,
while the souls on the grosser cannot penetrate the
higher boundries of their plane, being stopped by the
spiritual screen. The comparison is a crude one, but it
almost exactly pictures the existing conditions on the spiritual world.
Souls on the upper planes, may, and often do, journey to the lower planes for the purpose of "visiting" the
souls of friends who may be dwelling there, and thus affording them comfort
and consolation. In fact, the teaching is
that in many cases a highly developed
soul visits souls on the lower planes in whom it is interested, and actually
imparts spiritual teaching and
instruction to those souls, so that they may be re-born into much better conditions than would have been the case otherwise. All of the planes
have Spiritual Instructors from very high planes, who sacrifice their well-earned rest and happiness on
their own planes in order that they
may work for the less-developed souls on the lower planes.
As we have said, the soul awakens on the plane to which it is suited. It finds itself in the company of congenial
souls, in whose company it is enabled to pursue
those things which were dear to its heart when alive. It
may be able to make considerable advancement
during its sojourn in "heaven," which will result to its benefit when it is
reborn on earth. There are countless
sub-planes, adapted to the infinite requirements of the advancing souls in
every degree of development, and each soul finds an opportunity to develop and
enjoy to the fullest the highest of which it is capable, and to also perfect itself and to prepare itself for future development, so that it may be re-born
under the very best possible conditions and circumstances in the next
earth life. But, alas, even in this higher world, all souls do not live up to
the best that is in them, and instead of
making the best of their opportunities for development, and growing
spiritually, they allow the attractions of their material natures to
draw them downward, and too often spend much of their time on the planes
beneath them, not to help and assist, but to live the less spiritual lives of
their friends on the lower planes. In such cases the soul does not reap the
benefit of the sojourn in the "after-life," but is born again
according to the attractions of its lower, instead of its higher nature, and is
compelled to learn its lesson over again.
The Yogi teachings
inform us that the lower planes of the Astral World are inhabited by souls of a
very gross and degraded type, undeveloped and animallike. These low souls live out the tendencies and characteristics
of their former earth lives, and reincarnate rapidly in order to pursue their
material attractions. Of course, there is
slowly working even in these undeveloped souls an upward tendency, but it is so
slow as to be almost imperceptible. In
time these undeveloped
souls grow sick and tired of their materiality,
and then comes the chance for a slight advance. Of
course these undeveloped souls have no access to the
higher planes of the Astral world, but are confined to
their own degraded plane and to the sub-planes which
separate the Astral World from the material world. They cling as closely as
possible to the earthly scenes, and are separated from
the material world by only a thin screen (if we may use the word). They suffer the tantalizing condition of being within
sight and hearing of their old
material scenes and environments,
and yet unable to manifest on them. These souls form the low class of "spirits" of which we hear so much in certain circles. They hang around their
old scenes of debauchery and sense
gratification, and often are able to influence the minds of living persons along the same line and plane of development. For
instance, these creatures hover
around low saloons and places of
ill-repute, influencing the sodden brains of living persons to participate in the illicit gratifications
of the lower sensual nature.
Souls
on the higher planes are not bound by these earthly
and material attractions, and take advantage of their
opportunities to improve themselves and develop spiritually. It is a
rule of the Astral World that the higher the
plane occupied by a soul, the longer the
sojourn there between incarnations. A soul on the lowest planes may reincarnate in a very short time, while on the higher planes hundreds and even thousands
of years may elapse before the soul is called upon to experience
re-birth. But re-birth comes to all who have not passed on to other spheres of
life. Sooner or later the soul feels that inward urge toward re-birth and
further experience, and becomes drowsy and falls into a state resembling sleep,
when it is caught up in the current that is sweeping on toward re-birth, and is
gradually carried on to re-birth in conditions
chosen by its desires and characteristics, in connection with the
operation of the laws of Karma. From the
soul-slumber it passes through what may be called a "death" on the
Astral plane, when it is re-born on the earth plane. But, remember this,
the soul, when it is re-born on earth, does not fully awaken from its Astral
sleep. In infancy and in early childhood
the soul is but slowly awakening, gradually from year to year, the brain being
built to accommodate this growth. The rare instances of precocious
children, and infant genius are cases in which the awakening has been more
rapid than ordinary. On the other hand,
cases are known where the soul does not awaken as rapidly as the
average, and the result is that the person
does not show signs of full intellectual activity until nearly middle age.
Cases are known when men seemed to "wake up" when they were
forty years of age, or even later in life, and would then take on a freshened
activity and energy, surprising those who had known them before.
On some of the planes of the Astral world the souls dwelling there do
not seem to realize that they are "dead," but act and live as
if they were in the flesh.
They
have a knowledge of the planes beneath them, just as
we on earth know of conditions beneath us (spiritually), but they seem to be in
almost absolute ignorance of the planes above
them, just as many of us on earth cannot comprehend
the existence of beings more highly developed spiritually
than ourselves, This, of course, is only true of
the souls who have not been made acquainted with the
meaning and nature of life on the Astral Plane. Those
who have acquired this information and knowledge
readily understand their condition and profit
thereby. It will be seen from this that it is of the
greatest importance for persons to become acquainted with
the great laws of Occultism in their present earth
life, for the reason that when they pass out of the body and enter some one
of the Astral Planes they will not be in ignorance of
the condition, but will readily grasp the meaning and nature of their surroundings and take advantage of
the same in order to develop themselves more rapidly.
It will be seen from what has been written by us here
and elsewhere that there are planes after planes on the Astral side of life. All that has been dreamt of Heaven, Purgatory or Hell has its correspondence there,
although not in the literal sense in which these things have been taught. For
instance, a wicked man dying immersed in his desires and
longings of his lower nature, and believing that
he will be punished in a future life for sins committed
on earth-such a one is very apt to awaken on the
lower planes or sub planes, in conditions corresponding with his
former fears.
He finds the fire and brimstone awaiting him, although these things are merely figments of his own imagination, and having no existence in reality. Murderers
may roam for ages (apparently) pursued by the bleeding
corpses of their victims, until such a horror of the crime arises in the
mind that at last sinking from exhaustion
into the soul-sleep, their souls pass into re-birth with such a horror
of bloodshed and crime as to make them
entirely different beings in the new
life. And, yet the "hell"
that they went through existed only
in their imaginations. They were their
own Devil and Hell. Just as a man in earth life may suffer
from delirium tremens, so some of these souls on the Astral plane suffer agonies from their delirium arising
from their former crimes, and the belief in the
punishment therefor which has been inculcated in them through earth
teachings. And these mental agonies, although terrible, really are for their
benefit, for by reason of them the soul becomes so sickened with the
thought and idea of crime that when it is finally
re-born it manifests a marked repulsion to it, and flies to the opposite. In
this connection we would say that the teaching is that although the
depraved soul apparently experiences ages of
this torment, yet, in reality, there is but the passage of but a short time, the illusion arising from the self-hypnotization
of the soul, just as arises the illusion of the punishment itself. In
the same way the soul often experiences
a "heaven"
in accordance with its hopes, beliefs and longings of earth-life. The
"heaven" that it has longed for
and believed in during its earth-life is very apt to be at least partially reproduced on the Astral plane, and the
pious soul of any and all religious denominations finds itself in a
"heaven" corresponding to that in which it believed during its
earth-life. The Mohammedan finds his
paradise; the Christian finds his;
the Indian finds his-but the impression is merely an illusion created by the Mental Pictures of the
soul. But the illusion tends to give
pleasure to the soul, and to satisfy certain longings which in time fade away, leaving the soul free to reach out after higher
conceptions and ideals. We cannot devote more space to this subject at this time, and must content
ourselves with the above statements
and explanations. The principal
point that we desire to impress upon your minds is the fact that the "heaven-world" is not a place or state of permanent rest and abode for the
disembodied soul, but is merely a
place or temporary sojourn between incarnations, and thus serves as a place of
rest wherein the soul may gather together its forces, energies, desires and attractions preparatory to
re-birth. In this answer we have
merely limited ourselves to a general statement of the states and conditions of
the Astral World, or rather of certain planes of that world. The subject itself requires far more
extensive treatment.
Question IV: "Is
Nirvana a state of the total extinction
of consciousness; and is it a place, state or condition?"
Answer: The teaching concerning Nirvana,
the final goal of the soul, has been
much misunderstood, and much error
has crept into the teaching even among some
very worthy teachers. To conceive of Nirvana
as a state of extinction of consciousness would be to fall into the error of the pessimistic school of
philosophy which thinks of life and
consciousness as a curse, and regards
the return into a total unconsciousness as the thing to be most
desired. The true teaching is that Nirvana
is a state of the fullest consciousness- a
state in which the soul is relieved of all the illusion of separateness and relativity, and enters into a
state of Universal Consciousness, or
Absolute Awareness, in which it is conscious of Infinity, and
Eternity-of all places and things and time.
Nirvana instead of being a state
of Nothingness, is a state of "Everythingness." As the soul advances along the Path it
becomes more and more aware of its
connection with, relation to, and identity with the Whole. As it grows, the Self enlarges and transcends its former limited bounds. It begins
to realize that it is more than the tiny separated atom that it had believed itself to be, and it
learns to identify itself in a
constantly increasing scale with the Universal Life. It feels a sense of Oneness in a fuller degree, and it sets its feet firmly upon
the Path toward Nirvana, After
many weary lives on this and other planets-in this and other
Universes-after it has long since left behind it the scale of humanity, and has
advanced into god-like states, its consciousness
becomes fuller and fuller, and time and space aretranscended
in a wonderful manner. And at last the goal is
attained-the battle is won-and the soul blossoms into
a state of Universal Consciousness, in which Time and Place disappear and in
which every place is Here; every period of Time is
Now; and everything is "I"
This is Nirvana.
Question V: "What
is that which Occultists coil 'an Astral Shell,' or similar
name? Is it an entity, or force, or being?"
Answer : When
the soul passes out from the body at the
moment of death it carries with it the "Astral Body"
as well as the higher mental and spiritual principles
(see the first three lessons in the "Fourteen Lessons").
The Astral Body is the counterpart of the material
or physical body, although it is composed of matter
of a much finer and ethereal nature than is the physical
body. It is invisible to the ordinary eye, but may be
seen clairvoyantly. The Astral Body rises from the
physical body like a faint, luminous vapor, and for a
time is connected with the dying physical body by a
thin, vapory cord or thread, which finally breaks
entirely and the separation becomes complete. The
Astral Body is some time afterward discarded by the soul
as it passes on to the higher planes, as we have
described a few pages further back, and the abandoned Astral Body becomes an "Astral Shell," and is subject
to a slow disintegration, just as is the physical body. It is no more the soul than is the physical body- it
is merely a cast off garment of fine matter. It will be seen readily that it is not an entity, force or being it is
only cast off matter-a sloughed skin. It has no life or
intelligence, but floats around on the lower Astral
Plane until it finally disintegrates. It has an attraction
toward its late physical associate-the physical
body-and often returns to the place where the latter is
buried, where it is sometimes seen by persons whose
astral sight is temporarily awakened, when it is
mistaken for a "ghost" or "spirit" of the person. These Astral Shells are often seen floating around over graveyards,
battlefields, etc. And sometimes these shells
coming in contact with the psychic magnetism of a
medium become "galvanized" into life, and manifest signs of
intelligence, which, however, really conies
from the mind of the medium. At some seances these re-vitalized shells manifest and materialize, and talk in a
vague, meaningless manner, the shell receiving its vitality from the body and mind of the medium instead of speaking from any consciousness of its
own. This statement is not to be
taken as any denial of true "spirit
return," but is merely an explanation of certain forms of so-called
"spiritualistic phenomena" which is well understood by advanced
"spiritualists," although many
seekers after psychic phenomena are in ignorance of it.
Question VI: What
is meant by "the Days and Nights of Brahm"; the
"Cycles"; the "Chain of Worlds", etc., etc.?
Answer: In Lesson Sixth, of the present series, you will find a brief mention of the "Days
and Nights of Brahm"-those vast periods of the Inbreathing and
Outfbreathing of the Creative Principle which is personified
in the Hindu conception of Brahma. You will see
mentioned there that universal philosophical conception
of the Universal Rhythm, which manifests in a succession of periods of
Universal Activity and Inactivity.
The
Yogi Teachings are that all Time is manifested in
Cycles. Man calls the most common form of Cyclic Time
by the name of "a Day," which is the period of time necessary for the earth's revolution on its axis. Each Day is a reproduction of all previous Days, although the incidents of each day differ from those of the other-all Days
are but periods of Time marked off by the revolution of the earth on its axis.
And each Night is but the negative side of a
Day, the positive side of which is
called "day." There is really no such thing as a Day, that which we call a "Day" being simply a record of certain physical changes in
the earth's position relating to its own axis.
The
second phase of Cyclic Time is called by man by the
name "a Month," by which is meant certain changes
in the relative positions of the moon and the earth. The true month consists of
twenty-eight lunar days. In this Cycle (the Month) there is also a light-time or "day," and a dark-time or
"night," the former being
the fourteen days of the moon's visibility, and the second being the fourteen days of the moon's invisibility.
The
third phase of Cyclic Time is that which we call "a
Year," by which is meant the time occupied by the earth in
its revolution around the sun. You will notice that
the year has its positive and negative periods, also, known as Summer and
Winter.
But
the Yogis take up the story where the astronomers drop it, at the Year. Beyond
the Year there are other and greater phases of
Cyclic Time. The Yogis know many cycles of thousands of years in which there are marked periods of Activity and
Inactivity. We cannot go into detail regarding these various cycles, but may mention another division common
to the Yogi teachings, beginning with
the Great Year. The Great Year is composed of 360 earth years. Twelve
thousand Great Years constitute what is known
as a Great Cycle, which is seen to consist of 4,320,000 earth years. Seventy-one Great Cycles compose what is called a Manwantara, at the
end of which the earth becomes submerged under the waters, until not a
vestige of land is left uncovered. This state lasts
for a period equal to 71 Great Cycles. A Kalpa is composed of 14 Manwantaras. The largest and grandest Cycle manifested is known as the Maya-Praylaya, consisting of 36,000 Kalpas when the Absolute withdraws into Itself its entire
manifestations, and dwells alone in its awful Infinity and Oneness, this period being succeeded by a period equally
long- the two being known as the Days and Nights of Brahm.
You will notice that each of these great Cycles has its "Day"
period and its "Night" period-its Period of Activity, and
its Period of Inactivity. From Day to Maya-Praylaya, it is a succession of Nights and Days-Creative Activity and Creative Cessation.
The
"Chain of Worlds," is that great group of planets
in our own solar system, seven in number, over which the
Procession of Life passes, in Cycles. From globe to
globe the great wave of soul life passes in Cyclic
Rhythm. After a race has passed a certain number
of incarnations upon one planet, it passes on to
another, and learns new lessons, and then on and on
until finally it has learned all of the lessons possible on
this Universe, when it passes on to another Universe, and so on, from higher
to higher until the human mind is unable to
even think of the grandeur of the destiny awaiting each human soul on The Path. The various works published by the Theosophical organizations go into detail regarding
these matters, which require the
space of many volumes to adequately
express, but we think that we have at last indicated the general nature of the question, pointing out to the
student the nature of the subject, and indicating lines for further study and investigation. Conclusion.
And now, dear students, we have reached the end of
this scries of lessons. You have followed us closely for
the past four years, many of you having been with us as students from the start. We feel many ties of spiritual relationship binding you to us, and the parting, although but temporary, gives a little pang to us -a little pull upon our heart strings. We have tried to give to you a plain, practical and simple exposition of the
great truths of this world-old philosophy-have endeavored to express in plain
simple terms the greatest truths known to man on earth
to-day, the Yogi Philosophy. And many have written as that our work has not
been in vain, and that we have been the means of opening up new worlds of
thought to them, and have aided them in
casting off the old material sheaths that
had bound them for so long, and the discarding of which enabled them to unfold the beautiful blossom of Spirituality. Be this as it may, we have been
able merely to give you the most
elementary instruction in this
world-philosophy, and are painfully conscious of the small portion of the field
that we have tilled, when compared
with the infinite expanse of Truth still untouched. But such are the limitations of Man-he can speak only of that which lies immediately before
him, leaving for others the rest of
the work which is remote from his
place of abode. There are planes upon planes of this Truth which every soul among you will some day make his or her own. It is yours, and you
will be impelled to reach forth and
take that which is intended for you.
Be not in too much haste-be of great patience-and all will come to you, (or it is your own. "Mystic Christianity." We have here to make an announcement that will please
our readers, judging from the many letters that we have received during the
several years of our work. We will now enter upon a new phase of our work of presenting the great truths underlying
life, as taught by the great minds of centuries ago, and carefully
transmitted from master to student from that time
unto our own. We have concluded our presentation of
the mystic teachings underlying the Hindu Philosophies, and shall now pass on
to a consideration and presentation of the great
Mystic Principles underlying that great and glorious
creed of the Western world-the religion, teachings,
and philosophy of Jesus
the Christ. These teachings, too, as we should remember, are essentially Eastern in their origin, and source,
although their effects are more pronounced in the
Western world. Underlying the teaching and philosophy
of the Christ are to be found the same esoteric
principles that underlie the other great systems of philosophies of the East.
Covered up though the Truth be by the additions of
the Western churches and sects, still it remains there
burning brightly as ever, and plainly visible to one
who will brush aside the rubbish surrounding the
Sacred Flame and who will seek beneath the forms and
non-essentials for the Mystic Truths underlying
Christianity.
We realize the importance of the work before us, but
we shrink not from the task, for we know that when the bright Light of the
Spirit, which is found as the centre of the
Christian philosophy, is uncovered, there
will be great rejoicing from the many who while believing in and realizing the value of the Eastern Teachings, still rightly hold their love,
devotion and admiration for Him who
was in very Truth the Son of God, and
whose mission was to raise the World spiritually
from the material quagmire into which it was stumbling.
And now, dear pupils, we must close this series of lessons
on the Yogi Philosophy. We must rest ere we so soon
engage upon our new and great work. We must each take a little rest,
ere we meet again on The Path of
Attainment. Each of these temporary partings
are milestones upon our Journey of Spiritual Life. Let each find us farther
advanced.
And now we send you our wishes of Peace. May The Peace be with
you all, now and forever, even unto Nirvana, which is PEACE itself.
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