WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.280 --> 00:00:05.360 The fourth lesson mental control, Part one. In our first 2 00:00:05.440 --> 00:00:08.599 three lessons of this series, we have endeavored to bring 3 00:00:08.679 --> 00:00:13.640 into realization within your mind. One the consciousness of the eye, 4 00:00:14.119 --> 00:00:21.120 its independence from the body, its immortality, its invincibility and invulnerability. 5 00:00:22.160 --> 00:00:26.600 Two the superiority of the eye over the mind as 6 00:00:26.600 --> 00:00:30.160 well as over the body. The fact that the mind 7 00:00:30.399 --> 00:00:34.280 is not the eye, but is merely an instrument for 8 00:00:34.359 --> 00:00:38.479 the expression of the eye. The fact that the eye 9 00:00:38.520 --> 00:00:41.600 is master of the mind as well as of the body. 10 00:00:42.600 --> 00:00:46.679 That the eye is behind all thought. That the eye 11 00:00:46.719 --> 00:00:53.679 can set aside for consideration the sensations, emotions, passions, desires, 12 00:00:54.159 --> 00:00:58.119 and the rest of the mental phenomena, and still realize 13 00:00:58.359 --> 00:01:03.320 that it the eye is apart from these mental manifestations 14 00:01:03.759 --> 00:01:10.120 and remains unchanged, real and fully existent. That the eye 15 00:01:10.280 --> 00:01:14.120 can set aside any and all of its mental tools 16 00:01:14.120 --> 00:01:20.439 and instruments as not i things, and still consciously realize 17 00:01:20.879 --> 00:01:26.519 that after so setting them aside, there remains something itself, 18 00:01:27.319 --> 00:01:31.000 the eye, which cannot be set aside or taken from 19 00:01:32.239 --> 00:01:35.560 That the eye is the master of the mind and 20 00:01:35.680 --> 00:01:42.200 not its slave. Three, that the eye is a much 21 00:01:42.280 --> 00:01:46.200 greater thing than the little personal eye. We have been 22 00:01:46.280 --> 00:01:50.079 considering it to be that the eye is a part 23 00:01:50.319 --> 00:01:54.799 of that great one reality which pervades all the universe. 24 00:01:55.799 --> 00:01:58.959 That it is connected with all other forms of life 25 00:01:59.439 --> 00:02:05.920 by countless ties, mental and spiritual filaments and relations. That 26 00:02:06.040 --> 00:02:09.919 the eye is the center of consciousness in that great 27 00:02:10.159 --> 00:02:14.599 one reality or spirit, which is behind and back of 28 00:02:14.639 --> 00:02:19.360 all life and existence, the center of which reality or 29 00:02:19.439 --> 00:02:24.240 existence is the Absolute or God. That the sense of 30 00:02:24.319 --> 00:02:28.560 reality that is inherent in the eye is really the 31 00:02:28.599 --> 00:02:32.919 reflection of the sense of reality inherent in the whole, 32 00:02:33.520 --> 00:02:38.919 the great eye of the universe. The underlying principle of 33 00:02:39.000 --> 00:02:42.360 these three lessons is the reality of the eye in 34 00:02:42.400 --> 00:02:48.800 itself over and above all matter, force, or mind, positive 35 00:02:49.000 --> 00:02:52.400 to all of them, just as they are positive or 36 00:02:52.400 --> 00:02:57.439 negative to each other, and negative only to the center 37 00:02:57.560 --> 00:03:02.960 of the One, the Absolute. And this is the position 38 00:03:03.159 --> 00:03:08.639 for the candidate or initiate to take. I am positive 39 00:03:08.840 --> 00:03:14.120 to mind, energy, and matter, and control them all. I 40 00:03:14.159 --> 00:03:18.039 am negative only to the Absolute, which is the center 41 00:03:18.159 --> 00:03:23.560 of being, of which being I am. And as I 42 00:03:23.599 --> 00:03:29.280 exert my mastery over mind, energy, and matter and exercise 43 00:03:29.400 --> 00:03:34.280 my will over them, so do I acknowledge my subordination 44 00:03:34.520 --> 00:03:38.439 to the Absolute and gladly open my soul to the 45 00:03:38.560 --> 00:03:43.719 inflow of the Divine will and partake of its power, strength, 46 00:03:44.039 --> 00:03:49.120 and wisdom. In the present lesson and those immediately following it, 47 00:03:49.759 --> 00:03:53.680 we shall endeavor to assist the candidate or initiate in 48 00:03:53.759 --> 00:04:01.520 acquiring a mastery of the subordinate manifestations matter, energy, and mind. 49 00:04:02.879 --> 00:04:06.719 In order to acquire and assert this mastery, one must 50 00:04:06.759 --> 00:04:10.360 acquaint himself with the nature of the thing to be controlled. 51 00:04:11.639 --> 00:04:14.759 In our advanced course, we have endeavored to explain to 52 00:04:14.840 --> 00:04:19.519 you the nature of the three great manifestations known as 53 00:04:19.639 --> 00:04:25.759 Hita or mind, substance, Prana or energy, and Akasa or 54 00:04:25.879 --> 00:04:31.000 the principle of matter. We also explain to you that 55 00:04:31.079 --> 00:04:35.040 the eye of men is superior to these three, being 56 00:04:35.160 --> 00:04:42.079 what is known as Atman or spirit, Matter, energy, and mind, 57 00:04:42.639 --> 00:04:47.519 as we have explained, are manifestations of the absolute in 58 00:04:47.680 --> 00:04:53.920 our relative things. The Yogi philosophy teaches that matter is 59 00:04:53.959 --> 00:04:59.120 the grossest form of manifested substance, being below energy and 60 00:04:59.240 --> 00:05:05.319 mind and consequently negative to and subordinate to both. One 61 00:05:05.360 --> 00:05:09.480 stage higher than matter is energy or force, which is 62 00:05:09.560 --> 00:05:14.319 positive to and has authority over matter, matter, being a 63 00:05:14.360 --> 00:05:18.480 still grosser form of substance, but which is negative to 64 00:05:19.199 --> 00:05:23.199 and subordinate to mind, which is a still higher form 65 00:05:23.240 --> 00:05:29.759 of substance. Next in order comes the highest of the three, Mind, 66 00:05:30.279 --> 00:05:34.839 the finest form of substance, and which dominates both energy 67 00:05:35.079 --> 00:05:41.160 and matter, being positive to both. Mind, however, is negative 68 00:05:41.639 --> 00:05:46.720 and subordinate to the Eye, which is spirit, and obeys 69 00:05:46.720 --> 00:05:51.199 the orders of the latter when firmly and intelligently given. 70 00:05:53.000 --> 00:05:57.480 The eye itself is subordinate only to the absolute, the 71 00:05:57.519 --> 00:06:02.639 center of being, the I, being positive and dominant over 72 00:06:02.720 --> 00:06:09.879 the threefold manifestation of mind, energy, and matter. The eye, 73 00:06:10.480 --> 00:06:13.800 which for the sake of the illustration, must be regarded 74 00:06:13.879 --> 00:06:17.480 as a separate thing, although it is really only a 75 00:06:17.519 --> 00:06:22.480 center of consciousness in the great body of Spirit, finds 76 00:06:22.560 --> 00:06:27.800 itself surrounded by the triple ocean of mind, energy, and matter, 77 00:06:28.279 --> 00:06:33.720 which ocean extends into infinity. The body is but a 78 00:06:33.759 --> 00:06:38.319 physical form through which flows an unending stream of matter. 79 00:06:39.160 --> 00:06:42.720 For as you know, the particles and atoms of the 80 00:06:42.720 --> 00:06:49.360 body are constantly changing, being renewed, replaced, thrown off, and 81 00:06:49.399 --> 00:06:54.399 supplanted one's body of a few years ago, or rather, 82 00:06:54.759 --> 00:06:59.360 the particles composing that body have passed off and now 83 00:06:59.519 --> 00:07:04.199 form new combinations in the world of matter, and one's 84 00:07:04.240 --> 00:07:08.720 body of today is passing away and being replaced by 85 00:07:08.759 --> 00:07:13.879 new particles. And one's body of next year is now 86 00:07:13.959 --> 00:07:18.959 occupying some other portion of space, and its particles are 87 00:07:19.000 --> 00:07:23.800 now parts of countless other combinations from its space, and 88 00:07:23.920 --> 00:07:28.439 combinations they will later come to combine and form the 89 00:07:28.480 --> 00:07:33.800 body of next year. There is nothing permanent about the body. 90 00:07:34.639 --> 00:07:38.720 Even the particles of the bones are being constantly replaced 91 00:07:38.759 --> 00:07:43.199 by others. And so it is with the vital energy 92 00:07:43.759 --> 00:07:48.199 force or strength of the body, including that of the brain. 93 00:07:49.759 --> 00:07:54.680 It is constantly being used up and expended, a fresh 94 00:07:54.759 --> 00:07:59.199 supply taking its place. And even the mind of the 95 00:07:59.240 --> 00:08:04.240 person is changeable, and the mind substance or keita is 96 00:08:04.319 --> 00:08:08.480 being used up and replenished, the new supply coming from 97 00:08:08.480 --> 00:08:14.639 the great ocean of mind into which the discarded portion slips, 98 00:08:14.759 --> 00:08:17.720 just as is the case with the matter and energy. 99 00:08:19.079 --> 00:08:22.240 While the majority of our students, who are more or 100 00:08:22.319 --> 00:08:28.360 less familiar with the current material scientific conceptions, will readily 101 00:08:28.519 --> 00:08:32.399 accept the above idea of the ocean of matter and 102 00:08:32.639 --> 00:08:37.080 energy and the fact that there is a continual using 103 00:08:37.159 --> 00:08:41.919 up and replenishing of one store of both, they may 104 00:08:41.960 --> 00:08:46.360 have more or less trouble in accepting the idea that 105 00:08:46.519 --> 00:08:50.960 mind is a substance or principle amenable to the same 106 00:08:51.200 --> 00:08:56.440 general laws as are the other two manifestations or attributes 107 00:08:56.519 --> 00:09:01.000 of substance. One is so apt to think of his 108 00:09:01.200 --> 00:09:07.720 mind as himself the eye, notwithstanding the fact that in 109 00:09:07.759 --> 00:09:10.960 our second lesson of this series, which showed you that 110 00:09:11.039 --> 00:09:16.200 the eye is superior to the mental states, and that 111 00:09:16.279 --> 00:09:19.960 it can set them aside and regard and consider them 112 00:09:20.279 --> 00:09:24.519 as not i things. Yet the force of the habit 113 00:09:24.600 --> 00:09:28.360 of thought is very strong, and it may take some 114 00:09:28.519 --> 00:09:32.440 of you considerable time before you get into the way 115 00:09:32.639 --> 00:09:36.440 of realizing that your mind is something that you use 116 00:09:37.039 --> 00:09:42.399 instead of being you yourself. And yet you must persevere 117 00:09:43.000 --> 00:09:47.200 in attaining this realization. For in the degree that you 118 00:09:47.320 --> 00:09:51.799 realize your dominance over your mind, so will be your 119 00:09:51.840 --> 00:09:58.000 control of it and its amenability to that control. And 120 00:09:58.039 --> 00:10:01.559 as is the degree of that dominance in control, so 121 00:10:01.759 --> 00:10:05.679 will be the character, great and extent of the work 122 00:10:06.080 --> 00:10:11.039 that your mind will do for you. So you see, 123 00:10:11.360 --> 00:10:19.559 realization brings control and control brings results. This statement lies 124 00:10:19.679 --> 00:10:24.200 at the base of the science of Raja yoga, and 125 00:10:24.320 --> 00:10:28.600 many of its first exercises are designed to acquaint the 126 00:10:28.639 --> 00:10:33.840 student with that realization and to develop the realization and 127 00:10:33.919 --> 00:10:41.279 control by habit and practice. The Yogi philosophy teaches that 128 00:10:41.360 --> 00:10:45.240 instead of mind being the eye, it is the thing 129 00:10:45.519 --> 00:10:50.320 through and by means of which the eye thinks, at 130 00:10:50.440 --> 00:10:55.200 least so far as is concerned the knowledge concerning the 131 00:10:55.240 --> 00:11:00.720 phenomenal or outward universe, that is, the universe of name 132 00:11:01.000 --> 00:11:06.240 and form. There is a higher knowledge locked up in 133 00:11:06.279 --> 00:11:11.120 the innermost part of the eye that far transcends any 134 00:11:11.240 --> 00:11:17.279 information that it may receive about or from the outer world. 135 00:11:18.120 --> 00:11:22.559 But that is not before us for consideration at this time, 136 00:11:23.320 --> 00:11:26.559 and we must concern ourselves with the thinking about the 137 00:11:26.559 --> 00:11:33.480 world of things. Mind substance in Sanskrit is called kita, 138 00:11:34.360 --> 00:11:37.320 and a wave in the kita, which wave is the 139 00:11:37.399 --> 00:11:42.639 combination of mind and energy, is called frita, which is 140 00:11:42.759 --> 00:11:47.399 akin to what we call a thought. In other words, 141 00:11:47.519 --> 00:11:54.759 it is mind in action, whereas kita is mind in repose. Frita, 142 00:11:55.000 --> 00:12:00.320 when literally translated, means a whirlpool or eddy in the mind, 143 00:12:01.080 --> 00:12:07.320 which is exactly what a thought really is. But we 144 00:12:07.440 --> 00:12:10.840 must call the attention of the student at this point 145 00:12:11.279 --> 00:12:15.000 to the fact that the word mind is used in 146 00:12:15.080 --> 00:12:19.279 two ways by the Yogis, and other occultists, and the 147 00:12:19.360 --> 00:12:23.519 student is directed to form a clear concept of each 148 00:12:23.720 --> 00:12:27.919 meaning in order to avoid confusion, and that he may 149 00:12:28.000 --> 00:12:32.440 more clearly perceive the true aspects of the things which 150 00:12:32.480 --> 00:12:37.360 the word is intended to express. In the first place, 151 00:12:37.919 --> 00:12:42.679 the word mind is used as synonymous with kita or 152 00:12:42.960 --> 00:12:49.600 mind substance, which is the universal mind principle. From this kita, 153 00:12:50.279 --> 00:12:55.240 mind substance, or mind, all the material of the millions 154 00:12:55.279 --> 00:13:00.039 of personal minds is obtained. The sacond meaning of the 155 00:13:00.159 --> 00:13:04.320 word mind is that which we mean when we speak 156 00:13:04.559 --> 00:13:08.720 of the mind of any one, thereby meaning the mental 157 00:13:08.759 --> 00:13:15.440 faculties of that particular person, that which distinguishes his mental 158 00:13:15.519 --> 00:13:21.679 personality from that of another. We have taught you that 159 00:13:21.720 --> 00:13:26.639 this mind in men functions on three planes, and have 160 00:13:26.840 --> 00:13:35.039 called the respective manifestations one the instinctive mind, two the intellect, 161 00:13:35.840 --> 00:13:42.720 and three the spiritual mind see fourteen Lessons in Yogi Philosophy, 162 00:13:43.000 --> 00:13:49.320 et cetera. These three mental planes, taken together, make up 163 00:13:49.519 --> 00:13:53.919 the mind of the person, or, to be more exact, 164 00:13:54.480 --> 00:13:59.799 they clustered around the eye form the soul of the individual. 165 00:14:01.039 --> 00:14:05.720 The word soul is often used as synonymous with spirit, 166 00:14:06.559 --> 00:14:10.279 but those who have followed us will distinguish the difference. 167 00:14:11.600 --> 00:14:16.000 The soul is the ego surrounded by its mental principles, 168 00:14:16.600 --> 00:14:21.159 while the spirit is the soul of the soul, the eye, 169 00:14:21.399 --> 00:14:27.080 or real self. The science of Raja Yoga to which 170 00:14:27.159 --> 00:14:32.360 these series of lessons is devoted, teaches as its basic 171 00:14:32.519 --> 00:14:38.399 principle the control of the mind. It holds that the 172 00:14:38.480 --> 00:14:43.919 first step toward power consists in obtaining a control of 173 00:14:44.039 --> 00:14:49.960 one's own mind. It holds that the internal world must 174 00:14:50.000 --> 00:14:56.559 be conquered before the outer world is attacked. It holds 175 00:14:57.039 --> 00:15:01.759 that the eye manifests itself in will, and that that 176 00:15:01.879 --> 00:15:07.799 will may be used to manipulate, guide, govern, and direct 177 00:15:08.080 --> 00:15:11.879 the mind of its owner, as well as the physical world. 178 00:15:13.759 --> 00:15:19.320 It aims to clear away all mental rubbish and encumbrances, 179 00:15:19.759 --> 00:15:24.039 to conduct a mental house cleaning, as it were, and 180 00:15:24.120 --> 00:15:30.480 to secure a clear, clean, healthy mind. Then it proceeds 181 00:15:30.480 --> 00:15:36.279 to control that mind intelligently and with effect, saving all 182 00:15:36.360 --> 00:15:41.200 waste power, and by means of concentration, bringing the mind 183 00:15:41.360 --> 00:15:44.799 in full harmony with the will, that it may be 184 00:15:44.879 --> 00:15:49.840 brought to a focus and its power greatly increased, and 185 00:15:49.919 --> 00:15:56.320 its efficiency fully secured. Concentration and will power are the 186 00:15:56.440 --> 00:16:01.240 means by which the Yogis obtain such wonderful results and 187 00:16:01.360 --> 00:16:05.919 by which they manage and direct their vigorous, healthy minds 188 00:16:06.519 --> 00:16:12.639 and master the material world, acting positively upon energy and matter. 189 00:16:14.000 --> 00:16:18.360 This control extends to all planes of the mind, and 190 00:16:18.440 --> 00:16:23.639 the yogis not only controlled the instinctive mind, holding in 191 00:16:23.720 --> 00:16:28.840 subjection its lower qualities and making use of its other parts, 192 00:16:29.679 --> 00:16:33.159 but they also develop and enlarge the field of their 193 00:16:33.200 --> 00:16:39.840 intellect and obtain from it wonderful results. Even this spiritual 194 00:16:39.919 --> 00:16:45.039 mind is mastered and aided in its unfoldment, and urged 195 00:16:45.320 --> 00:16:49.440 to pass down into the field of consciousness some of 196 00:16:49.519 --> 00:16:54.840 the wonderful secrets to be found within its area. By 197 00:16:54.919 --> 00:16:59.000 means of Raja yoga, many of the secrets of existence 198 00:16:59.039 --> 00:17:02.919 and being, many of the riddles of the universe are 199 00:17:03.000 --> 00:17:09.119 answered and solved, and by it, the latent powers inherent 200 00:17:09.359 --> 00:17:14.200 in the constitution of men are unfolded and brought into action. 201 00:17:16.200 --> 00:17:20.319 Those highly advanced in the science are believed to have 202 00:17:20.359 --> 00:17:25.119 attained such a wonderful degree of power and control over 203 00:17:25.160 --> 00:17:28.759 the forces of the universe that they are as gods 204 00:17:29.119 --> 00:17:35.880 compared with the ordinary men. Raja Yoga teaches that not 205 00:17:35.960 --> 00:17:40.160 only may power of this kind be secured but that 206 00:17:40.359 --> 00:17:46.039 a wonderful field of knowledge is opened out through its practice. 207 00:17:46.680 --> 00:17:51.039 It holds that when the concentrated mind is focused upon 208 00:17:51.200 --> 00:17:55.240 thing or subject, the true nature and inner meaning of 209 00:17:55.880 --> 00:18:00.480 and concerning that thing or subject will be brought to view. 210 00:18:02.160 --> 00:18:07.039 The concentrated mind passes through the object or subject, just 211 00:18:07.119 --> 00:18:10.240 as the X ray passes through a block of wood, 212 00:18:11.079 --> 00:18:13.640 and the thing is seen by the eye as it 213 00:18:13.799 --> 00:18:18.119 is in truth and not as it had appeared before, 214 00:18:19.000 --> 00:18:25.000 imperfectly and erroneously. Not only may the outside world be 215 00:18:25.119 --> 00:18:29.720 thus explored, but the mental ray may be turned inward 216 00:18:30.640 --> 00:18:35.519 and the secret places of the mind explored. When it 217 00:18:35.599 --> 00:18:39.440 is remembered that the bit of mind that each man 218 00:18:39.480 --> 00:18:43.960 possesses is like a drop of the ocean, which contains 219 00:18:44.000 --> 00:18:48.319 within its tiny compass all the elements that make up 220 00:18:48.359 --> 00:18:53.079 the ocean, and that to know perfectly the drop is 221 00:18:53.119 --> 00:18:57.279 to know perfectly the ocean, then we begin to see 222 00:18:57.640 --> 00:19:03.039 what such a power really means. Many in the Western world, 223 00:19:03.440 --> 00:19:08.440 who have attained great results in the intellectual and scientific 224 00:19:08.519 --> 00:19:14.000 fields of endeavor, have developed these powers, more or less unconsciously. 225 00:19:15.400 --> 00:19:20.480 Many great inventors are practical yogis, although they do not 226 00:19:20.759 --> 00:19:24.720 realize the source of their power. Any One who is 227 00:19:24.759 --> 00:19:29.880 familiar with the personal mental characteristics of Edison will see 228 00:19:29.920 --> 00:19:34.480 that he follows some of the Raja yoga methods, and 229 00:19:34.519 --> 00:19:40.799 that concentration is one of his strongest weapons. And from 230 00:19:40.839 --> 00:19:46.160 all reports, Professor Elmer Gates of Washington, d c. Whose 231 00:19:46.240 --> 00:19:51.359 mind has unfolded many wonderful discoveries and inventions, is also 232 00:19:51.759 --> 00:19:56.680 a practical yogi, although he may repudiate the assertion vigorously 233 00:19:57.319 --> 00:20:01.119 and may not have familiarized himself with the principles of 234 00:20:01.160 --> 00:20:08.039 the science which he has dropped into unconsciously. Those who 235 00:20:08.039 --> 00:20:12.799 have reported upon Professor Gates's methods say that he fairly 236 00:20:13.079 --> 00:20:17.680 digged out the inventions and discoveries from his mind after 237 00:20:17.759 --> 00:20:22.880 going into seclusion and practicing concentration in what is known 238 00:20:23.039 --> 00:20:27.799 as the mental vision. But we have given you enough 239 00:20:27.880 --> 00:20:31.240 of theory for one lesson, and must begin to give 240 00:20:31.279 --> 00:20:35.880 you directions whereby you may aid yourself in developing these 241 00:20:35.960 --> 00:20:41.920 latent powers and unfolding these dormant energies. You will notice 242 00:20:42.400 --> 00:20:46.319 that in this series we first tell you something about 243 00:20:46.319 --> 00:20:50.160 the theory and then proceed to give you something to do. 244 00:20:51.480 --> 00:20:55.440 This is the true yogi method, as followed and practiced 245 00:20:55.519 --> 00:21:01.079 by their best teachers. Too much theory is time and 246 00:21:01.200 --> 00:21:05.680 sings the mind to sleep, while too much exercise tires 247 00:21:05.720 --> 00:21:09.440 one and does not give the inquiring part of his 248 00:21:09.599 --> 00:21:15.119 mind the necessary food. To combine both in suitable proportions 249 00:21:15.599 --> 00:21:18.440 is the better plan, and one that we aim to 250 00:21:18.519 --> 00:21:26.480 follow Part two Mental drill and exercises. Before we can 251 00:21:26.519 --> 00:21:29.680 get the mind to do good work for us, we 252 00:21:29.799 --> 00:21:33.880 must first tame it and bring it to obedience to 253 00:21:33.960 --> 00:21:37.960 the will of the eye. The mind, as a rule, 254 00:21:38.519 --> 00:21:42.440 has been allowed to run wild and follow its own 255 00:21:42.640 --> 00:21:48.759 sweet will and desires without regard to anything else. Like 256 00:21:48.799 --> 00:21:53.880 a spoiled child or badly trained domestic animal, it gets 257 00:21:53.920 --> 00:21:58.960 into much trouble and is of very little pleasure, comfort, 258 00:21:59.279 --> 00:22:03.480 or use. The minds of many of us are like 259 00:22:03.640 --> 00:22:08.680 menagries of wild animals, each pursuing the bent of its 260 00:22:08.720 --> 00:22:14.359 own nature and going its own way. We have the 261 00:22:14.440 --> 00:22:19.680 whole managery within us, the tiger, the ape, the peacock, 262 00:22:20.119 --> 00:22:24.839 the ass, the goose, the sheep, the hyena, and all 263 00:22:24.880 --> 00:22:30.359 the rest, and we have been letting these animals rule us. 264 00:22:31.640 --> 00:22:37.039 Even our intellect is erratic, unstable, and like the quicksilver 265 00:22:37.319 --> 00:22:42.079 to which the ancient occultists compared it shifting and uncertain. 266 00:22:44.559 --> 00:22:47.240 If you will look around you, you will see that 267 00:22:47.279 --> 00:22:50.799 those men and women in the world who have really 268 00:22:50.880 --> 00:22:56.279 accomplished anything worth while have trained their minds to obedience. 269 00:22:57.799 --> 00:23:01.200 They have asserted the will or were their own minds, 270 00:23:01.920 --> 00:23:06.680 and learned mastery and power in that way. The average 271 00:23:06.720 --> 00:23:10.880 mind chafes at the restraint of the will and is 272 00:23:11.039 --> 00:23:15.039 like a frisky monkey that will not be taught tricks, 273 00:23:15.519 --> 00:23:18.359 but taught it must be if it wants to do 274 00:23:18.519 --> 00:23:23.200 good work, and teach it you must if you expect 275 00:23:23.279 --> 00:23:26.480 to get any use from it, if you expect to 276 00:23:26.680 --> 00:23:31.640 use it instead of having it use you. And this 277 00:23:31.960 --> 00:23:34.759 is the first thing to be learned in Raja yoga, 278 00:23:35.400 --> 00:23:39.680 this control of the mind. Those who had hoped for 279 00:23:39.799 --> 00:23:44.680 some royal road to mastery may be disappointed. But there 280 00:23:44.759 --> 00:23:48.640 is only one way, and that is to master and 281 00:23:48.720 --> 00:23:53.720 control the mind by the will. Otherwise it will run 282 00:23:53.759 --> 00:23:57.880 away when you most need it. And so we shall 283 00:23:57.920 --> 00:24:01.839 give you some exercise design to aid you in this direction. 284 00:24:03.920 --> 00:24:09.319 The first exercise in Raja yoga is what is called pratyahara, 285 00:24:10.039 --> 00:24:13.839 or the art of making the mind introspective or turned 286 00:24:14.079 --> 00:24:20.559 inward upon itself. It is the first step toward mental control. 287 00:24:21.759 --> 00:24:25.920 It aims to turn the mind from going outward and 288 00:24:26.039 --> 00:24:33.440 gradually churning it inward upon itself or inner nature. The 289 00:24:33.519 --> 00:24:36.880 object is to gain control of it by the will. 290 00:24:38.400 --> 00:24:46.039 The following exercises will aid in that direction. Exercise one 291 00:24:46.759 --> 00:24:51.960 A place yourself in a comfortable position and, so far 292 00:24:52.039 --> 00:24:58.920 as possible, free from outside disturbing influences. Make no violent 293 00:24:59.039 --> 00:25:03.480 effort to control the mind, but rather allow it to 294 00:25:03.640 --> 00:25:08.720 run along for a while and exhaust its efforts. It 295 00:25:08.759 --> 00:25:13.000 will take advantage of the opportunity and will jump around 296 00:25:13.279 --> 00:25:18.039 like an unchained monkey at first, until it gradually slows 297 00:25:18.079 --> 00:25:23.519 down and looks to you for orders. It may take 298 00:25:23.599 --> 00:25:27.599 some time to tame down at first trial, but each 299 00:25:27.720 --> 00:25:30.799 time you try, it will come round to you in 300 00:25:30.920 --> 00:25:37.000 shorter time. The Yogis spend much time in acquiring this 301 00:25:37.119 --> 00:25:44.160 mental peace and calm, and consider themselves well paid for it. B. 302 00:25:45.200 --> 00:25:49.160 When the mind is well calmed down and peaceful, fix 303 00:25:49.240 --> 00:25:53.000 the thought on thee. I am. As taught in our 304 00:25:53.039 --> 00:25:59.000 previous lessons, picture the eye as an entity independent of 305 00:25:59.039 --> 00:26:07.720 the body, deathless and vulnerable, immortal real Then think of 306 00:26:07.799 --> 00:26:11.960 it as independent of the body and able to exist 307 00:26:12.319 --> 00:26:17.680 without its fleshly covering. Meditate upon this for a time, 308 00:26:18.759 --> 00:26:22.920 and then gradually direct the thought to the realization of 309 00:26:23.000 --> 00:26:27.240 the eye as independent and superior to the mind and 310 00:26:27.359 --> 00:26:32.880 controlling saying, go over the general ideas of the first 311 00:26:33.079 --> 00:26:38.000 two lessons, and endeavor to calmly reflect upon them and 312 00:26:38.119 --> 00:26:42.519 to see them in the mind's eye. You will find 313 00:26:42.680 --> 00:26:47.039 that your mind is gradually becoming more and more peaceful 314 00:26:47.119 --> 00:26:51.440 and calm, and that the distracting thoughts of the outside 315 00:26:51.480 --> 00:26:58.359 world are farther and farther removed from you. See. Then, 316 00:26:59.039 --> 00:27:02.839 let the mind pass on to a calm consideration of 317 00:27:02.880 --> 00:27:06.319 the third lesson, in which we have spoken of the 318 00:27:06.359 --> 00:27:10.119 oneness of all and the relationship of the eye to 319 00:27:10.240 --> 00:27:16.759 the one life power intelligence being. You will find that 320 00:27:16.839 --> 00:27:22.160 you are acquiring a mental control and calm heretofore unknown 321 00:27:22.200 --> 00:27:27.839 to you. The exercises in the first three lessons will 322 00:27:27.920 --> 00:27:33.680 have prepared you for this. The following is the most 323 00:27:33.759 --> 00:27:39.400 difficult of the variations or degrees of this exercise, but 324 00:27:39.480 --> 00:27:44.640 the ability to perform it will come gradually. The exercise 325 00:27:44.759 --> 00:27:50.359 consists in gradually shutting out all thought or impression of 326 00:27:50.400 --> 00:27:55.279 the outside world, of the body, and of the thoughts themselves, 327 00:27:56.039 --> 00:28:01.240 the student concentrating and meditating upon the word and idea 328 00:28:02.039 --> 00:28:07.720 I am, the idea being that he shall concentrate upon 329 00:28:07.799 --> 00:28:13.960 the idea of mere being or existence, symbolized by the 330 00:28:13.960 --> 00:28:20.079 words I am, not I am this, or I am that, 331 00:28:21.559 --> 00:28:26.960 or I do this or I think that, but simply 332 00:28:27.480 --> 00:28:33.160 I am. This exercise will focus the attention at the 333 00:28:33.319 --> 00:28:39.160 very center of being within oneself, and will gather in 334 00:28:39.200 --> 00:28:43.960 all the mental energies instead of allowing them to be 335 00:28:44.160 --> 00:28:51.440 scattered upon outside things. A feeling of peace, strength, and 336 00:28:51.599 --> 00:28:56.519 power will result. For the affirmation and the thought back 337 00:28:56.559 --> 00:29:01.279 of it is the most powerful and strongest that one 338 00:29:01.359 --> 00:29:05.720 may make, for it is a statement of actual being 339 00:29:06.480 --> 00:29:10.279 and the turning of the thought inward to that truth. 340 00:29:12.720 --> 00:29:17.759 Let the mind first dwell upon the word I, identifying 341 00:29:17.839 --> 00:29:21.880 it with the self, and then let it pass on 342 00:29:21.960 --> 00:29:28.680 to the word M, which signifies reality and being. Then 343 00:29:29.079 --> 00:29:33.440 combine the two with the meanings thereof, and the result 344 00:29:34.000 --> 00:29:39.079 a most powerful focusing of thought inward and most potent 345 00:29:39.640 --> 00:29:45.000 statement of being. It is well to accompany the above 346 00:29:45.160 --> 00:29:51.400 exercise with a comfortable and easy physical attitude, so as 347 00:29:51.440 --> 00:29:55.480 to prevent the distraction of the attention by the body. 348 00:29:56.359 --> 00:29:59.880 In order to do this, one should assume and e 349 00:30:00.000 --> 00:30:05.359 easy attitude, and then relax every muscle and take the 350 00:30:05.480 --> 00:30:11.519 tension from every nerve until a perfect sense of ease, comfort, 351 00:30:11.960 --> 00:30:17.240 and relaxation is obtained. You should practice this until you 352 00:30:17.319 --> 00:30:21.599 have fully acquired it. It will be useful to you 353 00:30:22.000 --> 00:30:29.400 in many ways. Besides rendering concentration and meditation easier, it 354 00:30:29.480 --> 00:30:34.440 will act as a rest cure for tired body nerves 355 00:30:34.759 --> 00:30:42.240 and mind exercise too. The second step in Raja yoga 356 00:30:42.680 --> 00:30:48.119 is what is known as tarana or concentration. This is 357 00:30:48.160 --> 00:30:52.279 a most wonderful idea in the direction of focusing the 358 00:30:52.359 --> 00:30:58.640 mental forces, and may be cultivated to an almost incredible degree. 359 00:30:58.799 --> 00:31:05.559 But all this requires work, time, and patience, but the 360 00:31:05.640 --> 00:31:11.759 student will be well repaid for it. Concentration consists in 361 00:31:11.839 --> 00:31:17.200 the mind focusing upon a certain subject or object and 362 00:31:17.319 --> 00:31:22.480 being held there for a time. This, at first thought, 363 00:31:23.119 --> 00:31:28.200 seems very easy, but a little practice will show how 364 00:31:28.240 --> 00:31:32.920 difficult it is to firmly fix the attention and hold 365 00:31:32.920 --> 00:31:37.839 it there. It will have a tendency to waver and 366 00:31:38.000 --> 00:31:42.640 move to some other object or subject, and much practice 367 00:31:42.680 --> 00:31:45.559 will be needed in order to hold it at the 368 00:31:45.640 --> 00:31:51.279 desired point. But practice will accomplish wonders. As one may 369 00:31:51.319 --> 00:31:56.039 see by observing people who have acquired this faculty and 370 00:31:56.119 --> 00:32:01.000 who use it in their everyday life. The following point 371 00:32:01.160 --> 00:32:06.559 should be remembered. Many persons have acquired the faculty of 372 00:32:06.680 --> 00:32:13.079 concentrating their attention, but have allowed it to become almost involuntary, 373 00:32:13.839 --> 00:32:18.079 and they become a slave to it forgetting themselves and 374 00:32:18.200 --> 00:32:25.039 everything else, and often neglecting necessary affairs. This is the 375 00:32:25.160 --> 00:32:30.480 ignorant way of concentrating, and those addicted to it become 376 00:32:30.599 --> 00:32:34.759 slaves to their habits. Instead of masters of their minds. 377 00:32:36.039 --> 00:32:42.000 They become day dreamers and absent minded people. Instead of masters. 378 00:32:43.519 --> 00:32:46.519 They are to be pitied as much as those who 379 00:32:46.559 --> 00:32:52.119 cannot concentrate at all. The secret is in a mystery 380 00:32:52.200 --> 00:32:57.000 of the mind. The yogis can concentrate at will and 381 00:32:57.119 --> 00:33:01.759 completely bury themselves in the subject before them, and extract 382 00:33:01.839 --> 00:33:06.319 from it every item of interest, and kim then pass 383 00:33:06.359 --> 00:33:09.839 the mind from the thing at will, the same control 384 00:33:09.960 --> 00:33:14.759 being used in both cases. They do not allow fits 385 00:33:14.799 --> 00:33:20.000 of abstraction or absent mindedness to come upon them, nor 386 00:33:20.160 --> 00:33:25.000 are they day dreamers. On the contrary, they are very 387 00:33:25.039 --> 00:33:33.079 wide awake individuals, close observers, clear thinkers correct reasoners. They 388 00:33:33.119 --> 00:33:36.759 are masters of their minds, not slaves to their moods. 389 00:33:38.000 --> 00:33:42.160 The ignorant concentrator buries himself in the object or subject 390 00:33:42.799 --> 00:33:47.519 and allows it to master and absorb himself, while the 391 00:33:47.559 --> 00:33:52.240 trained yogi thinkers assert the eye and then directs his 392 00:33:52.400 --> 00:33:57.400 mind to concentrate upon the subject or object, keeping it 393 00:33:57.599 --> 00:34:02.039 well under control and in view all the time. Do 394 00:34:02.079 --> 00:34:07.720 you see the difference, then heed the lesson. The following 395 00:34:07.839 --> 00:34:12.880 exercises may be found useful in the first steps of concentration. 396 00:34:14.719 --> 00:34:20.760 A concentrate the attention upon some familiar object, a pencil, 397 00:34:20.920 --> 00:34:26.000 for instance. Hold the mind there and consider the pencil 398 00:34:26.360 --> 00:34:34.320 to the exclusion of any other object. Consider its size, color, shape, 399 00:34:34.960 --> 00:34:41.480 kind of wood, Consider its uses and purposes, its materials, 400 00:34:42.159 --> 00:34:46.960 the process of its manufacture, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. 401 00:34:48.320 --> 00:34:53.480